Takato and Rika in Termina
by Ganondorf8
Summary: Takato, Rika, Guilmon, and Renamon are sent to the world of Termina believing that they are inside of a video game. They soon realize that where they are is no game and that everything they experience in this world is very real. Rukato romance is included
1. Prologue, the first

Takato and Rika in Termina

By Ganondorf8

Prologue, the First.

Author's Note: This story is a spiritual successor to "Tai and Sora in Hyrule" for it is a similar concept only focusing on the Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask and featuring characters from Digimon Tamer. The world is that of Termina but the events take place sometime after the events of the actual game itself. You'll understand what I'm talking about once things start to pick up in the later chapters of this adventure. Just like my previous stories along these lines, the perspective will change from character to character starting with Takato followed by Guilmon, Rika, and Renamon before the cycle repeats itself. Sometimes the rotation may change because of something important, but you'll be told about it ahead of time so don't worry too much about it.

Takato's POV

" I just wanted to see what kind of reaction you would have if I were to lead you all this way into this quaint little cave because I was bored and wanted to have some kind of entertainment. Don't give me that look my young lady for that look could actually become permanent if you know what I mean. In fact, that look of yours is nothing short of boring so why don't I make some kind of improvement to it by changing your appearance to something that's more fitting."

" If you do that then I am going to be re-arranging your face using my boot!" shouted Rika.

" You are quite the feisty one when you have to be don't you?"

" Then you haven't seen just how feisty I can get and that goes for Renamon as well," said Rika.

" Ah yes, your strange companion who loves to live in the shadows just so that she can protect you from harm. Not even her power will be able to help you once I have made my adjustment of your appearance, so just

relax for a few moments and everything will be over in a matter of moments." It was at that moment when Rika felt as though she were being hit by some kind of invisible force to which Renamon was struggling to remove it from her partner only to find herself being forced back into the wall. Guilmon and I covered our eyes for there was a sudden flash of bright light, and once we could see each other again, Guilmon noticed that Rika had gone and standing in her place was some kind of small creature that looked like a small child. I didn't catch onto what happened at first but when I saw that this creature had the exact same hairstyle as Rika, I realized that she was the creature that was standing in front of us; a creature that was a cross between some kind of plant and a human which I knew was a Deku Scrub thanks to my excessive Majora's Mask playing.

" Rika? Are you okay?" I asked.

" What does it look like to you goggle-brain?" Rika shouted when she realized what she had become.

" You've been turned into a Deku Scrub!" I shouted.

" Thanks for stating the obvious so how am I supposed to change back to normal?" asked Rika.

" Oh this is a permanent fixture my dear young lady so I advise to you that you quickly learn just how a scrub lives. You needed a new look in order to get rid of that old look that you were giving me, and I think that this has turned out rather well. Don't be sad at all my young man for you shall be given the exact same adjustment that your friend has been given. There is no need for one of you to have all of the fun while the other just sits there and does nothing. The thought of seeing two Dekus together just brings tears to my eyes, and it also makes me wonder just how you two are going to handle your new way of life." I then felt my body being changed due to the strange force that was now hitting it; images of Deku Scrubs danced around my head and were trying to bury me deep within their collective numbers. I tried to get out of the gathering of scrubs but they proved to be too much for me to handle, and so I wound up blacking out with the images of the scrubs fresh in my mind. When I woke up a few moments later after having been knocked out by what my visions had been telling me, Rika pointed a finger towards a small lake that was inside the cave and so I checked out my reflection which is what she was getting at. I almost screamed at the top of my lungs when I realized that I had become a Deku Scrub as well while Rika just stood there in disbelief over what she had become, and tried to pinch herself thinking that this was just a video game rather than being the real thing.

I suppose that you are all wondering as to what just happened with myself and Rika having been turned into Deku Scrubs by someone who just wanted to see us suffer. I thought that spending some time with Rika in order for her to get a better understanding of what I do with my life would just be one of those simple things that brings people closer together. It would soon turn out that the night that I had been hoping for was going to be anything but simple once we found ourselves deep within another world that is different from our own. It was one of those mornings where I found myself sleeping in late causing my parents to constantly tell me to get out of bed otherwise I would be late for school yet again. The reason for my late nights was due to the fact that I had received a gift from Jeri which comprised of a video game that I had always wanted to play, but never got the chance to as I didn't have the correct system at the time for me to enjoy it. At first I didn't find any interest in The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask thinking that it was just another game where you had to save someone, but soon enough I found myself becoming engrossed with the storyline which lead me to staying up way past midnight so that I could see what was going to happen next. During the third straight night of playing way past the bedtime that my parents had set up for me, I was once again playing Majora's Mask in order to see what kind of experiences I was going to see next. Guilmon, who had been watching me play while chewing on his Guilmon Bread that my parents make especially for him was wondering as to why I was going around as some kind of elf-like character trying to save a doomed world.

" I don't understand why you playing with a boy that is dressed up like an elf," said Guilmon.

" The hero of the game is Link and he has always been dressed like that ever since he first made his appearance back in 1986," I said.

" He's been wearing the same clothes for over 20 years?" asked Guilmon.

" Not exactly although I guess that would be kind of funny now that you mention it. You see the series takes place during different eras according to the timeline which has been created, and in each of these eras exists a different Link whose job it is was to save the kingdom of Hyrule, or some other world that just so happens to be in need of a hero," I replied.

" Different Links?" asked Guilmon.

" It's something that Nintendo had done," I replied. I knew right then that Guilmon was lost all because my explanations only made things even more confusing, but then that is what glued me to the series in the first place which makes me glad that Jeri gave me this gift as a sign of her friendship. I had hoped that Jeri or one of the others would have wanted to play the game with me, but they all left for their respective vacations due to it being the beginning of summer vacation today which made me wonder if it were just some kind of coincidence. The only Tamer that was still around was Rika who was busy training with Renamon in case a future threat decides to target our world. There hadn't been any such incidents since the Locomon problem but Rika was insistent on training because she says that neglecting such things would only make you sloppy later on. Guilmon had fallen asleep by this point having had his fill on Guilmon Bread, but I was still awake thinking about how I could spend time with Rika without having to do so as her sparring partner. Then an idea struck me hard in the head which meant that I had come up with a sure-fire way that we could spend some time together. The next morning had come and I had managed to find her just as she was about to get started with her daily ritual of practicing to become stronger.

" You want me and Renamon to come over to your place in order to play a video game?" asked Rika.

" I figure that we could spend some time together," I replied.

" Your goggles must be on too tight as why would I want to waste my time playing a stupid video game when I could be training for something really important?" asked Rika.

" Well you are the only Tamer around seeing as everyone else have all gone on vacation at the exact same time which still makes me think that it is all just a coincidence. I know that you don't like video games Rika as you have more important things to do, but why don't you have some fun for a change and come on over to my place to spend the night? If you just gave them a chance I'm sure that you will get to love video games just as much as I do which is essentially every day," I replied before closing my mouth after hearing what I just said. I couldn't believe that I said those exact words to Rika in that series of events which means that she was probably going to ridicule me for being too obsessed with video games. As I waited for her to begin letting me have it starting with the usual beginning insult, Rika surprised me for the first time in a long time that was willing to come on over in order to play gameswith me.

" Okay, you've got yourself a deal," smiled Rika.

" Excuse me?" I asked.

" I'll take you up on your offer Takato but I suggest that you take off those goggles for a while as I think they are starting to mess with your mind. Renamon and I will be over at your place by exactly 7:00pm so be sure that you've got everything set up by the time we arrive, otherwise you'll be getting yet another earful from me about wasting my time," replied Rika as she walked off leaving me alone to ponder over what she had just said. She actually wanted to come on over to my place in order to play video games with me? That was the first time she had ever wanted to do that which made me wonder if her mind had been messed around with instead of mine which she claimed to be true. Either way I was completely surprised and raced back home in order to set things up before they arrive otherwise I would face the wrath of Rika, and that was something that I could do without. About an hour before the apparent deadline given to me by Rika, I had already finished setting up what I needed in order for us to enjoy some video games, and so I took the extra time to play even more of Majora's Mask as I so wanted to see what was going to happen next. Guilmon had recently gone downstairs in order to get himself another supply of Guilmon Bread before coming back up to my room in order to speak to me about something.

" Rika wanted to come over?" asked Guilmon.

" Surprising isn't it?" I asked.

" I wish that you could have taken some kind of picture or recorded what she said as that has to be the first time she has ever wanted to do that," replied Guilmon.

" I have been wondering as to why she wanted to spend some time with me in this fashion which is unusual even for her, but I suppose that I can always ask her when she and Renamon arrive in less than an hour. You know, that's the fourth batch of Guilmon Bread that you have eaten today...you must really be hungry if you've had that much and giving my parents a reasonable workout," I laughed as Guilmon stuffed another piece of bread into his mouth before going back downstairs for his fifth helping. Eventually Rika and Renamon arrived with some essentials needed for a sleep over although I was wondering as to what Rika was holding in her hand that she couldn't have placed onto her back. Renamon immediately settled down somewhere in order to perform some meditation while Rika demanded that I take her to my room otherwise we were going to be wasting the entire night standing by the front door.

" Your room looks like someone had used it as a battleground given the mess, but then you always were the kind of person that enjoyed living in your own filth," said Rika.

" I'll get around to cleaning up once we've had our sleep-over," I said blushing.

" So this is the video game system that you want me to play when you asked me earlier to come on over. If you think that I am impressed with this piece of junk then you will have to be disappointed goggle boy, but I guess that I could force myself into watching you play so that I can waste my time staying here with you rather than just staring at the ceiling and hoping that it is all over soon enough," said Rika. Despite the friendship that she and I have developed over the years, she still had that sour disposition of hers which made me want to question as to why I am friends with her, but I suppose that she had her reasons for being that way due to the way her family life has been. I then said that I had to go and check up on Guilmon who hadn't returned from his recent bread binge, so I left Rika on her own in order to see about my friend and hoping that she would have a change of heart. Should I have left her like that with my video game system? My mind froze at such a thought as I entered the kitchen and saw that Guilmon was sitting at the table munching away on bread.

" Rika doesn't sound very happy," said Guilmon.

" You get used to it after a while," I sighed.

" Maybe you should get her a video game that she can play," suggested Guilmon.

" I don't think that she is into that sort of thing," I said.

" Maybe she just needs a moment to get herself involved with it," said Guilmon.

" And this coming from a Digimon who loves to eat bread," I sighed.

" You could always ask her why she was carrying around that strange controller in her hand," said Guilmon.

" She was carrying what?" I asked.

" What did you say Takato?" asked Guilmon.

" What was Rika carrying?" I asked.

" She was carrying around a controller that looks very similar to what you use to play your video games Takato, but she has a custom one as it was covered in all kinds of colourful designs unlike your controllers which are just plain looking," replied Guilmon. I ran back up to my room in order to find out what was going on, and when I came charging into my room like I were some kind of deranged beast, there was Rika sitting on the floor with her custom controller in her hand and playing The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask as though she was an expert at it. My first reaction was that of surprise as who would have thought that Rika would be sitting here playing a video game let alone one of my own; my second reaction was since when was she able to be so good at something that she completely despised.

" Don't tell me that you're surprised by what you're seeing," said Rika.

" I am surprised as I never expected this," I said.

" I've had this custom designed controller for a few days now ever since Henry first showed me how to play video games about three months ago, and I wanted to give this thing a real test by using your own system as the testing grounds. You actually believed that I hated video games when I spoke you earlier? You're so naive Takato as I would have thought that you would have figured out my ruse long ago instead of sticking to the delusion that I was making fun of what you liked to do. While you were gone attending to whatever Guilmon was doing, I've been playing my own file on this Zelda game of yours and already I've reached the point where you get to explore Clock Town in human form thus allowing you to explore beyond the town walls," said Rika.

" That was just over five minutes ago," I said.

" I'm a fast player," smiled Rika.

" Then I'll watch you play the game in order to see if you will be able to reach the exact point that I've gotten to before you came over with Renamon." I said as I sat down in order to watch Rika play, and right from the start she proved to be really good by doing things that took me days to figure out which again makes me believe that she was an expert. After watching her for about an hour where she was blazing through the adventure in record time, a thought started to appear in my mind which consisted of what would it be like if we could be a part of the world of Termina. Rika just stared at me shaking her head in the process thinking that I was deep in my fantasies again before some strange voice began to speak out from somewhere which caused Guilmon and Renamon to enter the room.

" Did you just imagine that you could be in the world of Termina?"

" How did you know that?" I asked.

" A lot of people have often dreamed of the same thing and yet not a single one of them have managed to see that dream become a reality. That is because they were not destined to go there because Termina had no need of their presence, but that is no longer the case for the world needs someone of your skills to be able to assist it in its time of need. The four of you can easily come to Termina by allowing me to bring you there so that you can experience the magic and mystery that exists there."

" You want us to go into a video game?" asked Rika.

" Who said that it was?"

" I did!" shouted Rika.

" Then I shall make you realize the false words that you have spoken by allowing you to see with your eyes, and not what your mind is telling you." Without warning my room began to shimmer about as though someone were trying to transport it somewhere else, but then I realized that we were the ones doing all of the shimmering as we found ourselves being pulled into the television with my video game system turning itself off. Rika, Renamon, Guilmon, and I were falling through some kind of darkness without having any idea as to where we were going before we all landed in some kind of forest that had a rather eerie feel to it. Actually, everyone fell on top of me which made me want to cut back on Guilmon's bread intake, but as I got up to my feet I noticed that the surroundings were really familiar to me as though I had seen them somewhere before.

" Where are we?" asked Rika.

" I think we just got transported into my video game," I replied.

" And I think that you have finally lost it," snapped Rika.

" Think about it for a second Rika! This forest is where Majora's Mask begins when Link is riding through the Lost Woods in search of a friend that he knew about, and it was in this forest that he was jumped by two fairies and a kid wearing a strange mask before giving chase to them all because they stole his ocarina and horse," I said.

" Okay, so that is one similarity but even you couldn't think that this was real," said Rika.

" Then please explain that," I said as I pointed towards something that was going on behind Rika's back to which she turned her attention to. A robed figure came riding by on a horse and was taunting us to the point where it wanted us to follow along for reasons that only it would know. Rika immediately decided to follow along with Renamon by her side as she was one who never turned down a taunt, and all Guilmon and I did was sigh as we began to follow along as well even though we had no idea as to what we were getting into.

To Be Continued.

There will be Digimon in the world of Termina although not quite what you would expect them to be given the nature behind this parallel world. I hope that you all liked this concept for I do wish to see it continue so please read and review this new story of mine, the first one in almost four years.


	2. Prologue, the Second

Takato and Rika in Termina

By Ganondorf8

Prologue, the Second.

Author's Note: The portion at the beginning of the last part will be mentioned here again. Oh, and the T rating is there for a reason due to some of the content that will exist in this story.

Takato's POV

Rika and Renamon had gone after the robed figure on the horse without even thinking about who this guy was and what he was doing in the middle of a forest. Guilmon and I did go after him as well just because we didn't want to feel left out of the picture, but I suggested that we walk instead of run as we had no idea as to where we were going...well, I did have some ideas but I needed to be sure about it first.

" Why aren't we running after them Takato?" asked Guilmon.

" Why run after someone whom we know nothing about? I figure that it's much safer for us to walk after that figure," I replied.

" We always ran after Digimon whenever we had to deal with them during their biomerge craze back when we first met," said Guilmon. He had made a good point which made me realize that we usually run after this sort of thing anyway, but then this wasn't the Digital World or anything like that so what he said doesn't have any kind of merit attached to it. After a while I had gotten fed up with arguing with myself over whether to walk or run after this figure, but either way we did have to catch up to Rika and Renamon as they should be way ahead of us by now.

" Did your mind make a decision?" asked Guilmon.

" We have to run after them instead of walking which means that you were right," I replied.

" Perhaps I should digivolve so that we can run faster." Guilmon suggested and that was something that I hadn't even thought of until that point. I took out my D-Power from my pocket in the hopes that Guilmon would either digivolve to Growlmon, or that we would biomerge together in order to become Gallantmon...but something went wrong that neither of us had expected which changed our plans.

My D-Power wasn't able to make any kind of signal which was strange as it has always worked before even in the strangest of locations. Perhaps this forest we are in somehow prevents technology from being used due to some kind of weak signal, or maybe there is more to this than what we can see.

" I guess we're running," I sighed as I put my D-Power away while Guilmon looked rather upset as he wanted to digivolve. The two of then ran into the darker area of the forest in order to follow our friends who just so happened to be lying on the ground in front of us, and while Guilmon ran over to see if they were okay, I stopped to take a closer look at our surroundings in order to see if I could gather my bearings. As soon as I saw an entrance that was in the shape of a tree I knew that this was no ordinary forest that we had wound up in.

" It took you long enough to get here goggle-brain!" moaned Rika.

" Are you okay?" I asked.

" If I were okay then you wouldn't have seen Renamon and me lying down on the ground when you two finally managed to show up. We were chasing that strange character on the horse and while I managed to grab onto the horse's tail, I wound up being dragged around for quite a distance until my hand let go of the tail and I crashed into Renamon. Neither of us did get to see the face behind those robes but whoever he was will need to remember that the two of us are going to find him again," replied Rika.

" That's just so coincidental," I began.

" What are you on about?" asked Rika.

" You being dragged around this forest whilst holding onto the tail of a horse...is exactly what happened during the beginning moments of The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask. Remember that Link was traveling through a forest similar to this one and that he wound up losing his horse and ocarina to a child wearing a strange mask? He grabbed onto the tail of his horse in order to keep up but they ended up letting go and found himself lost in an area that he had never been to before," I replied.

" Again with the video game references," moaned Rika.

" While Guilmon was attending to the two of you I was busy observing our surroundings, and I've come to the conclusion that we are in the exact same forest that Link was in," I said.

" Takato, I really think you've lost it this time," said Rika.

" See that tree shaped entrance over there? That is the exact same entrance that Link used in order to move onto the next area of the forest and there are the various tree stumps he used as stepping stones. This forest is a deep area of the famous Lost Woods of Hyrule which means that we have been transported straight into that world," I said.

" You mean that we are in that video game of yours?" asked Rika.

" I don't think that this is a game anymore," I replied.

" Obviously this is a video game Takato as how else would you explain why we ended up stranded in the middle of a forest? Video games are made of data so if I were to kick this tree as hard as I could with my boot, it would make a dent where data can be seen flowing inside of it which would prove that this is just a game." Rika said and she kicked the closest tree as hard as she could but when the bark from the tree snapped off and scattered about the area, there was no data coming from within the tree but instead there was just more bark. " Okay, maybe the data in this particular game is of a really fine quality that doesn't seem to be affected by my kicks."

" Perhaps this is real," I suggested.

" And maybe you need to wise up and realize that we are trapped inside of your video game!" Rika shouted.

" Then how do you explain that robed figure who practically dragged us this far into the forest?" I asked. Rika found herself stumped over what I had just said and the blushing on her face indicates to me that she didn't want to believe that this could be in fact a real world instead of a game. To me this all felt like a real world as I could feel the flow of the forest all around me, but then it could be some kind of powerful piece of technology at work making it happen which would mean that Rika was right and that it was a video game.

We managed to come to the conclusion that we needed to follow the robed figure as it seemed that he might know something about what was going on. Rika and I walked on in front of our Digimon who decided to stay back in order to give the two of us some breathing room as they felt that we needed it what with our arguing.

" Takato thinks this is real while Rika thinks it isn't," began Guilmon.

" Normally, I wouldn't go against what Rika says but I am starting to believe that there is more to this place than what we are seeing. When the two of us were following the robed figure earlier, I sensed a strange power flowing all about him which made me suspect that he was someone who wielded much in the way of power. I did try to confer this with Rika but she was more obsessed with wanting to find out who we were chasing. There are some things that both she and Takato have said that make sense, but I have a strong feeling that the robed man will know more than both of them," said Renamon.

" All of this real and not real ideals make my head hurt," sighed Guilmon.

" It is a very complicated matter with which we find ourselves in, but maybe we'll find some answers as we get further along into this forest," said Renamon.

" So long as Takato and Rika don't end up making things worse," said Guilmon.

" I don't think any world would be able to handle the two of them if they were to allow their attitudes to run out of control," said Renamon. The four of us walked into the next area of the forest which consisted of even more tree stumps to which we decided to use in order to reach the next entrance. Rika and Renamon were able to make their way up without even the slightest trouble while Guilmon and I struggled the entire way due to our lack of balance being a hindrance.

" You just never cease to amaze me do you?" asked Rika.

" It's not like that we have to do this every single day," I replied.

" That's why you two need to get in on the training that Renamon and I do on a daily basis," said Rika.

" I'll be sure to remember that," I sighed.

" All jokes aside Takato there is something that I have been meaning to ask you about. I tried to have Renamon digivolve using my D-Power but nothing happened which made me wonder if it had somehow gotten damaged when we fell through that strange tunnel. We then tried to perform biomerge digivolution but then that didn't do anything either, so I was wondering if you and Guilmon had any better luck than we did." Rika said.

I shook my head which told her that our efforts to use my D-Power had failed as well which made her think a lot harder. " Our Digimon are unable to digivolve which means that either someone has blocked our signals in some way, or there could be a more powerful force at work."

" Does that mean?" I asked.

" You could actually be right for a change although I won't pass judgment until I know for certain," replied Rika. At least that was a better response from her than any of her previous ones so at least I knew that we were starting to think along the same lines. We soon entered yet another area of the forest yet for some reason it was a lot darker than the previous areas which made me wonder just how far we were traveling into the Lost Woods.

I knew from my video game playthroughs that these woods were well-known for causing people to become lost within its sea of trees hence why they gave it that name. Renamon was able to detect horseshoe prints in the ground which meant that the robed figure had come this way recently, and so we followed the prints which lead us all the way to yet another entrance, yet this one didn't lead into a new area but rather it lead us into some kind of dark cave that had no signs of any light.

" Where are we?" I asked.

" We should be still in the forest although I don't like the looks of this place," replied Rika.

" Could this be the part where Link fell down into a deep pit and found himself in a strange cave?" I asked.

" You are really taking the whole video game references a little too far." Rika replied as she took a step forward and plunged straight into a large hole which made me react quickly by grabbing her hand in order to stop her from falling. I struggled to pull Rika back up but something was forcing her down to which I then fell into the hole with Guilmon and Renamon taking their turn to try and stop us from falling.

That proved to be a bad decision as the strange force pushed them over the edge and we all found ourselves falling through another tunnel, but unlike the first one this one featured all kinds of strange symbols that flashed before our eyes to which none of them made any kind of sense. Soon we ended up landing hard in some kind of strange cave that consisted of a pair of candles that lighted up the room in a weak effort, and before us stood some kind of large door that appeared to be impossible for us to open.

" Are you alright Rika?" asked Renamon.

" I'm okay but what were all of those symbols that we saw when we fell through that tunnel?" asked Rika.

" Those symbols to me looked like some kind of faces that each expressed a different kind of emotion," replied Renamon.

" Well, I guess we'll just have to accept that as an answer until we can figure out where the heck we are." Rika then stopped when she remembered playing through this part of Majora's Mask while I was busy downstairs with Guilmon before all of this happened. Could it be that she was finally starting to believe the same thing that I was which is that this could not be a game but rather the real thing? " Takato, I think that this is where Link encountered the Skull Kid and was transformed into some kind of strange creature."

" Are you starting to believe me now?" I asked.

" I still need more proof before I start believing," replied Rika.

" So you still think that this is all a part of your imagination?"

" That is what I've been saying Takato," replied Rika.

" Rika, that wasn't me who said that," I said.

" Then who was it?" asked Rika.

" It seems to me that the four of you are confused as to where you have wound up during your journey to this place? I had thought that you would have long accepted the truth that exists all around you, but I see that you still show signs of not believing in what you are seeing all around you. This makes me feel bored as I was expecting all of you to be happy that you have managed to make it all the way here on your own."

" Did you bring us here?" asked Rika.

" That is something that you will need to discover on your own as why would I want to tell you and spoil the entire surprise?"

" Do you think that this is all a game?" asked Rika.

" I just wanted to see what kind of reaction you would have if I were to lead you all this way into this quaint little cave because I was bored and wanted to have some kind of entertainment. Don't give me that look my young lady for that look could actually become permanent if you know what I mean. In fact, that look of yours is nothing short of boring so why don't I make some kind of improvement to it by changing your appearance to something that's more fitting."

" If you do that then I am going to be re-arranging your face using my boot!" shouted Rika.

" You are quite the feisty one when you have to be don't you?"

" Then you haven't seen just how feisty I can get and that goes for Renamon as well," said Rika.

" Ah yes, your strange companion who loves to live in the shadows just so that she can protect you from harm. Not even her power will be able to help you once I have made my adjustment of your appearance, so just relax for a few moments and everything will be over in a matter of moments." It was at that moment when Rika felt as though she were being hit by some kind of invisible force to which Renamon was struggling to remove it from her partner only to find herself being forced back into the wall.

Guilmon and I covered our eyes for there was a sudden flash of bright light, and once we could see each other again, Guilmon noticed that Rika had gone and standing in her place was some kind of small creature that looked like a small child.

I didn't catch onto what happened at first but when I saw that this creature had the exact same hairstyle as Rika, I realized that she was the creature that was standing in front of us; a creature that was a cross between some kind of plant and a human which I knew was a Deku Scrub thanks to my excessive Majora's Mask playing.

" Rika? Are you okay?" I asked.

" What does it look like to you goggle-brain?" Rika shouted when she realized what she had become.

" You've been turned into a Deku Scrub!" I shouted.

" Thanks for stating the obvious so how am I supposed to change back to normal?" asked Rika.

" Oh this is a permanent fixture my dear young lady so I advise to you that you quickly learn just how a scrub lives. You needed a new look in order to get rid of that old look that you were giving me, and I think that this has turned out rather well. Don't be sad at all my young man for you shall be given the exact same adjustment that your friend has been given. There is no need for one of you to have all of the fun while the other just sits there and does nothing. The thought of seeing two Dekus together just brings tears to my eyes, and it also makes me wonder just how you two are going to handle your new way of life."

I then felt my body being changed due to the strange force that was now hitting it; images of Deku Scrubs danced around my head and were trying to bury me deep within their collective numbers. I tried to get out of the gathering of scrubs but they proved to be too much for me to handle, and so I wound up blacking out with the images of the scrubs fresh in my mind.

When I woke up a few moments later after having been knocked out by what my visions had been telling me, Rika pointed a finger towards a small lake that was inside the cave and so I checked out my reflection which is what she was getting at. I almost screamed at the top of my lungs when I realized that I had become a Deku Scrub as well while Rika just stood there in disbelief over what she had become, and tried to pinch herself thinking that this was just a video game rather than being the real thing.

--------------------

That is how we ended up becoming Deku Scrubs so now you know how it all lead up to this point so now the story can continue with my explanation having come to an end.

--------------------

" Now this is what I would call a vast improvement for the pair of you."

" Why have you done this to them?" asked Renamon.

" Because I wanted to see what kind of reaction I could get from both of them, and I am pleased with the overall results so I think I will have them stay this way just because I find it all to be amusing. You two strange creatures should actually be lucky as you appear to have some kind of immunity to my power, but that is a problem which I will fix soon enough so you don't have to feel bad over being left out. You two scrubs look like you were made for each other so I think that I shall take my leave of you now so that you can spend some time getting used to your new lives."

" Come back!" shouted Renamon.

" We shall see each other again if you manage to figure out what to do."

" He's gone," I sighed.

" I tried to pinch myself thinking that this was all just a dream, and all I did was give myself a painful experience on my butt which means that you and I have been changed into Deku Scrubs. I liked the thought of playing as one when I played that game of yours, but I didn't actually want to become one in real life!" Rika then looked at her reflection in order to see what she had become. Her hairstyle was the same as always and she was wearing her jeans, but it was the rest of her body that resembled that of a Deku Scrub which made her turn away from what she had been looking and burst into tears.

I walked over in order to comfort her as while I did like the idea of wanting to walk around as a Deku Scrub, all of this came onto us in a way that neither of us had expected, and what made all of this worse was that our Digimon were now the partners of plant-like creatures.

" So what are we supposed to do now?" I asked.

" You're the expert of this game so you come up with something," replied Rika.

" But you played a lot faster than I did so really you are the true expert and not me," I said.

" Okay, we need to find some way of getting through this door as it is the only exit that we have in this cave. I hope that you know to lift heavy objects goggle-boy as we are going to need a lot of it if we're going to be stuck like this for a while," said Rika as she walked over to the door in a flurry of steps that left me amazed and her in embarrassment. I walked over in the same fashion and as we stared up at the large door, it certainly looked really big, but then I guess that everything else is going to be bigger than normal due to being of a much smaller height.

We both decided that we were going to try and lift the door up together with Guilmon and Renamon acting as the extra power we needed, but as soon as we touched the door with our hands it opened up just like that without any real effort involved. The way ahead consisted of a long passageway that resembled the inside of a giant log which made us think that things would only get stranger from here.

" Shall we carry on?" I asked.

" We have no other choice so the answer is rather obvious. On a side note Takato, I hope that those goggles on your head don't make you stand out too much as your hair alone is more than enough to get people to notice you," laughed Rika and a few moments later I started to laugh as what she said was true to some extent. This laughter of ours continued as the four of us walked into the passageway which could be our only means of finding some way of getting out of here.

To Be Continued.

Second Author's Note: Strange that this is at the end, but I will be providing some kind of disclaimer starting in the next chapter. After all it is being done by everyone else.


	3. The Deku Scrub Tamers

Takato and Rika in Termina

By Ganondorf8

The Deku Scrub Tamers.

Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon, Digimon Tamers, The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, or anything else that is associated through a disclaimer. Any original characters you see (and there will be some) are copyrighted to me because that is something that I can do.

Author's Note: This part has more speech involved and less narrative than in the previous parts as the Tamers and their Digimon will be interacting with a lot of things during their time in Termina. Also, the actual Majora's Mask game does get referenced to even though the name isn't always used whenever it gets brought up.

Guilmon's POV

Takato looked kind of happy even though it was difficult for me to figure if he was happy or sad as his new face didn't exactly provide any hints for me. I know that he had enjoyed playing this particular video game but I had a strange feeling that perhaps he was liking it a little too much. Rika on the other hand absolutely despised what she had become and still kept on thinking that this was a dream and that she would wake up in her bed. Somehow, I don't think this is a dream otherwise I would have been walking around Takato's home trying to sneak off with a midnight snack by now.

It's what Takato said to me that had me thinking the most and that was when he stated that he and Rika had Digimon who were the partners of plants. He is still the same Takato who is my friend and Tamer although I have this strange urge to want to take a big bite out of him for no real reason. Renamon was as aloof as always but she made sure to stay by Rika's side no matter what just in case she needed to vent her anger out at something or someone.

We had been walking through the same passageway for a while now and just when it looked as though it wasn't going to end any time soon, we entered a large room that consisted of a number of islands that were spewed across some kind of large chasm. There were also these strange flowers on the ground which made it look as though they could be used in some way to get further along.

" What's with the flowers?" asked Rika.

" From what I remember during my playthrough of Majora's Mask, these flowers can be used by Deku Scrubs in order to fly across certain areas so that they can reach the safety of another area. All you have to do is stand on top of one and then bury yourself inside of it so that you can launch yourself into the sky," replied Takato.

" Just because we look like Dekus doesn't mean that we can do what they can," said Rika.

" I've been thinking about that for a while when we were walking through that passageway, and I came to the conclusion that you and I have the abilities that come with being Deku Scrubs. Sure we both resemble members of their tribe but I had this feeling that we were also given their respective powers so I decided to perform a small test," said Takato.

" You actually thought of something useful?" asked Rika.

" I picked up a small stone that I found along the way and I placed it into this gapping mouth that we both have on our faces. In an instant I was able to fire like it were some kind of bullet and I managed to make the stone travel quite the distance before it hit the wall further down the passageway. I know that you hate being like this Rika but we just have to get used to the fact that we are now scrubs and that we have to utilize all of our abilities if we want to get through this ordeal," replied Takato.

" So we're using the flowers in order to fly around is that it? As much as it pains me to say that you are right about something, you are right about us using our new abilities so we might as well use these flowers and make our way across these islands; which brings me to another problem that you seem to have neglected goggle-brain. Guilmon and Renamon weren't changed into scrubs like we were so just how are they supposed to make it across without the need of these flowers?" asked Rika.

" They'll just have to jump," replied Takato.

" And just when I thought that you couldn't come with something so stupid," moaned Rika.

" What other choice is there?" asked Takato.

" Renamon, do you think that you'll be able to make it across these islands?" asked Rika.

" My jumping skills are very well defined Rika so I shall not have any trouble making it across this chasm, but I suspect that Guilmon here is going to have quite the problem on his hands for he isn't as good of a jumper as I

am which gives him the hardest position," replied Renamon. It's true that I am not a very good jumper so the thought of me actually trying to jump from island to island seemed like an impossible feat, or maybe because Takato never gave me the ability to jump around a lot. I decided to take a quick peek at the chasm that we had to get over and I almost fell in when I realized just how deep it was which meant that a wrong move could be big trouble.

Was I brave enough to want to risk making such lengthy jumps? I was brave but then my stomach didn't want me to go and decided to growl in protest.

" So which of us should go first?" asked Rika.

" We could play rock, paper, scissors in order to determine a winner," replied Takato.

" Or we could just send you into the flower seeing as this is your game and thanks to you, I'm stuck as a plant until we can figure out a way to change back to normal," said Rika.

" You don't have to be so rough you know," said Takato.

" It's just that I was expecting you to give me some kind of entertainment just because you wanted to spend some quality time with me. We have grown closer ever since we all decided to become a team, but there are still moments where I get frustrated to the point where I just lash out at whatever happens to be in front of me. In this case that would be you Takato as you have done some things that have made me annoyed to no end. Anyway, ever since we were first pulled into this world I've just been so irritable over what we've experienced, and this recent change has only made me even more upset than usual because I don't want to spend the rest of my life stuck as a Deku Scrub. Okay, I've gotten all of that anger out of my system so we just need to see if we can actually make it across. You know more about this game than I do goggle-boy so you should have the honour of being the first to use these flowers," said Rika.

" Are you sure about that?" asked Takato.

" We could always ask Guilmon to try and throw you across," replied Rika. That was more than enough reason for Takato to dive into that flower as he knew very well that I have a very powerful throw at my disposal, and if I had thrown him, he would have ended up either missing the island and plunging into the chasm, or he would smack into the side of the island and plunge into the chasm.

His strange mouth then popped out of the flower followed by what looked like a small gust of air which meant that he was about to do something. Takato then launched himself out of the flower before pulling out a pair of flowers and began to fly across to the next island where he barely made due to making some mistakes while flying.

" That was rather fun," commented Takato.

" Next time you might want to just fly straight instead of trying to do some fancy tricks," said Rika. She then did the exact same thing that Takato had done except that she did it all with a more serious feel leaving Renamon and me on the previous island to jump across in order to keep up with them. Renamon without question leapt across the chasm with such grace that she actually landed on the next island beyond where our Tamers were, and that made me want to faint because they were so good while I was just nervous about jumping.

I couldn't keep everyone else delayed as we needed to find out where we were going so I decided to make a leap for it. My leap was pretty good given that I am usually no good with jumping, but then when I realized that I was about to slam into the side of the island meant that I didn't jump quite far enough and that this next part was going to hurt...and it did as I crashed into the side of the island with a loud thud that could have knocked it over completely.

Takato wanted to help me up but his body was much too weak to be able to lift me up so I decided to do it on my own so that he and Rika wouldn't have to strain anything just so that they could help someone who did all of that to himself. The next island was actually much bigger than the first one and that on the far end was another flower which would lead us to a third platform that lead into another cave. On this second island though there was a small treasure chest which looked as though someone had left it behind for no reason.

" Quite convenient for there to be a chest on this island," said Takato.

" We're not going to start becoming pirates any time soon," said Rika.

" In the Legend of Zelda series there have always existed treasure chests that Link gets to open in order to obtain the treasure that lies within. These chests don't belong to anyone so we are allowed to reap the rewards that lie inside and see if we can use them for our own purposes. Chests like these usually contain something small that is easy to find wherever you go so I'm sure that whatever is in here will just be a common item." Takato said but I thought that the first two games in the series never used chests and that the feature was introduced in the third game?

Maybe Takato doesn't know quite as much about the series as he may lead himself to believe, but that wasn't going to stop him from opening up that chest in order to find out what was inside. He opened it up and fiddled about inside of it using his hand in order to see if there was anything that he could find. Sure enough, his hand caught hold of something and he picked it up before showing it to the rest of us.

" A red gem?" asked Rika.

" No, a rupee," replied Takato.

" It's still a gem you know," moaned Rika.

" The Legend of Zelda games have always used rupees as the official currency which means that we need to find a lot of these if we want to supply ourselves for any future situations. One of these red ones here is worth 20 rupees so you can consider us to be somewhat rich even though this is enough to buy a small group of arrows or Deku Nuts," said Takato.

" What do you mean by supply ourselves?" asked Rika.

" We might be stuck in this world for a long time so we should at least buy us what we need to survive," replied Takato.

" In case you haven't noticed already but we are Deku Scrubs and most pieces of equipment are not designed to be used by plants. What you just said doesn't have any kind of meaning unless we can somehow find a way to change back to our human forms and break this evil power that has made us like this. I suppose that we should take this rupee with us as it might prove to be very useful later on when we find somewhere that we can use it. I'll go first this time in order to show just how you are supposed to use these flowers," said Rika.

" Those two have such a strange chemistry between each other," commented Renamon.

" Even though they both see each other as friends, they certainly don't act like it whenever they get into one of those arguments," I said.

" It's one of those human qualities that you have to get used to," said Renamon.

" Another one? But I still haven't gotten used to the other ones," I said realizing that now I had to get used to a dozen different aspects about humans. Rika was able to make her way across to the final island using the flower successfully which made Takato jealous as all he did was just try to make some kind of fancy flight across the chasm.

Another series of jumps later along with me crashing into the side of the third island, we found ourselves walking down another passage that soon ended with a metal door that looked harmless enough, but then who knows what else might happen around here all because of all these strange things happening. Rika just wanted to break the door down due to her frustrations have reached a boiling point, and Takato had this strong urge to want to see what existed on the other side.

" So you two are the new faces who have come to Termina."

" Who are you?" asked Takato.

" My name is one that I am not able to share with you for the time being for you never know just who might be listening in. I have not seen people coming from outside of this world since the time of the Moon's plunge towards this land that we all call home. You no doubt have much in the way of questions and so I shall attempt to answer all of them as best as I can without making you even more frustrated and confused. This is the world of Termina, a world that exists as a parallel to Hyrule but also exists as its own place within the vastness of the cosmos.

Those that you encounter in this world also exist in Hyrule but those who live here are much different than their counterparts from the other world. A long time ago our world was on the verge of being destroyed by the moon that exists above us in the night sky; a moon that is both feared and revered by all who exist in Termina for it is this moon that represents the fear and chaos that lies in various corners in this world."

" Who else has come here before us?" asked Takato.

" Only one other person has come to Termina from a world that exists beyond the boundaries of our own. A long time ago this young child stumbled upon our world and saved it by awakening the four legendary walkers who were able to prevent the destruction that was to come by stopping the moon from crashing into us.

No one else from outside our way of existence has come here aside from the four of you which makes you all the first to have come here in a long time. But, how is it that you are in fact Deku Scrubs unless your kind exist beyond the boundaries of Termina."

" We are both actually human but someone changed us into these forms just because he thought that it was funny," said Takato.

" That reminds me of the other who came to our world for he was also changed into a Deku Scrub due to the power wielded by the one who wished to cause trouble for us all. You two have been placed under a powerful curse that forces you both to remain as Deku Scrubs until you are able to find the cure which will change you back to your human selves once again."

" So can you cure us?" asked Rika.

" It is possible for me to cure the two of you of this evil curse, but I am afraid that unless you have the proper item then my own hands are tied and you will be forced to walk as you are forever. This area that we are in is known as the Clock Tower which lies at the very center of Clock Town; a city that exists in the heart of Termina and is where most business practices take place between the various tribes.

Beyond these walls exists a place that has changed a lot since the time of the moon's fall from the skies, and it is somewhere in this city that you will find what you need if you wish to be returned to the way you were. First, I must ask you two a question which is do you happen to possess any instruments on you? The reason I ask this is because you need to have a certain instrument in your possession if you want to be cured, and if you were to have the instrument in question then I will be able to assist you with your troubles here and now."

" Do we look like we're carrying instruments?" asked Rika.

" Then that means that you must make your way through Clock Town in order to find out the truth on your own."

" I thought you might say that which is why Renamon and I are ready," said Rika.

" You should know that most of the citizens who live here in Clock Town do not take too kindly to Deku Scrubs for they are seen as an enemy in the eyes of many because of how they behave. This journey is going to be one of great difficulty for you will be walking among those that look down on Dekus with disdain, and for that you will be treated badly by most people you come into contact with.

Your two friends will also be treated badly and perhaps maybe even hunted for they resemble the creatures that exist beyond the city walls, and the guards around here are very serious when it comes to the safety of the townsfolk. Fear not for there are a few people who are friendly towards Deku Scrubs so you should seek them out as soon as possible for they will be your greatest allies."

" What are we supposed to do?" asked Rika.

" Make your way into Clock Town and find that which you need if you wish to become what you once were."

" Then perhaps you should just keep it simple next time," said Rika.

" He was just giving us a warning that's all," said Takato.

" We already know what to expect as we've both played through this part of the game so we don't really need to be reminded of what we've already done," said Rika.

" You believe that what you are experiencing is a game?"

" The only reason that we ended up here is because we all got pulled into this video game world when a voice asked us if we wanted to be here," said Rika.

" Many just like you believed that this world was one that existed inside of a game created by others in order to provide a form of entertainment. That was the belief that they felt was true which is why they never got the chance to come to Termina even though that is what they wished. You believed that this was a world that exists in a game although your companion had a strong feeling that Termina was in fact a real place which is why you were selected to come here."

" Remind me to give you a good kick in the butt when we get back to our world goggle-head," said Rika.

" This world is a real place for the two of you have been transformed into creatures that exist here; a feat that is certainly not possible if this world were just merely a game that you enjoy playing. There is no further need for you to deny what is the truth so you must learn to accept that all of what you see is reality, and not a dream realm where anything can happen just by creating it from the stems of your imaginations." Renamon and I had been listening to this character the entire time and he actually made a lot of sense for what he was saying did have a lot of truth to it. My eyes had been glowing in their usual fashion whenever I feel that something wrong ever since this stranger had been giving us a guided tour of the Clock Tower.

Could he be someone that wishes to do harm to both Takato and Rika? My mind was confused as he felt like an enemy even though he had just provided them with a lot of information including the part where they can be cured of their current condition. Maybe this Termina world had more to it than what we were looking at on the surface seeing as we've already seen so much happen just within the last 30 minutes or so.

Renamon in the meantime had been staying silent in the shadows in order to observe this stranger more closely; her method was different from mine but then she did have the ability to do that sort of thing while I would just clunk around.

" Then I guess we must explore Clock Town," said Takato.

" It's just going to be the game all over again," moaned Rika.

" It has been a long time since the time of the moon's decent which means that what you have experienced in your game is not the same here for much has changed. I suggest that you all begin your search for your answers now before you wind up getting yourselves into something that you may regret later on. I shall remain here in this tower to await your return for I know that you wish to be back to normal, and be sure to keep your friends hidden from those that do not understand otherwise they shall be hunted down like wild animals."

That last part wasn't what I wanted to hear and I couldn't help but feel nervous as the four of us made our way to the top of the tower where the entrance to the town was from the direction we came in. Takato and Rika pushed the door open as hard as they could and that is when we all witnessed something truly amazing that we never once saw before.

To Be Continued

A cliffhanger this time around that ends this part to which I am famous for creating in my stories, but this one isn't that breath-taking once you see what they all encounter. The more breath-taking cliffhangers will take place further along once things start to get moving.


	4. Clock Town, the Heart of Termina

Takato and Rika in Termina

By Ganondorf8

Clock Town, the Heart of Termina

Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon, Digimon Tamers, The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, or anything else that is associated through a disclaimer. Any original characters you see (and there will be some) are copyrighted to me because that is something that I can do.

Author's Note: As stated back at the beginning of this story, the events all take place after the game so expect to see some new additions made to the citizens of Termina.

Rika's POV

Sometimes I wish that I could have just stayed home in order to do some training with Renamon instead of agreeing to come and spend the night with Takato. If I had done that then I wouldn't be stuck in this video game in the form of a Deku Scrub, but it's too late to look back on the past now so I might as well move forward and hope that I don't end up completely losing it. The four of us were in awe over just what Clock Town looked like when we first laid our eyes upon it when we opened that large door in the clock tower.

Takato and I have played through this part of the game already but then this was the first time that either of us had managed to get this close to the actual city itself, and I was finally starting to believe that all of this was in fact real instead of just an advanced program as how else could we have turned into Dekus? Guilmon and Renamon were forced to stick to the shadows in order for them to not be associated with us for that mystery character mentioned that Deku Scrubs aren't exactly treated that well by most of the people in Clock Town.

If I had my way with it I would have knocked some sense into those people, but then I didn't exactly look the part so all I could was just swallow my pride and just see what was going to happen.

In the video game the people in the center of the town were preparing for the Carnival of Time which took place once every year, and judging from what the people were doing in front of us, the carnival was just a few days away so at least that part of it is still intact. The mystery character also said that there were a few people in town that were very willing to help us out despite what Takato and I looked like for they held no ill-will towards the Dekus, yet I wish that could have been the same with everyone else for our journey through town was one that would test my patience, and show me that Takato may be taking all of this a little too seriously.

We took a few steps forward in order to speak to a man who was busy ordering other people around before a small dog nearby started to chase us around for no reason.

" Leave them alone and go lay down over there!" The man yelled with the dog obeying his command and leaving the two of us alone.

" Thanks for helping us out of that problem," said Takato.

" Dogs have this strange feeling whenever Deku Scrubs come along and just want to chase after them in order to bite them. You two kids were lucky that I am that dog's master otherwise you could have ended up getting really hurt. I take it that you two are new in town as most Dekus I know usually travel around in much larger numbers so that they can move about without being tormented.

Most people in Clock Town show a real disdain towards your kind because of the way you tend to change sides in conflicts just so that you can benefit from it. Me, I have no real grudges against Dekus as I enjoy all kinds of people that come to visit during the Carnival of Time so long as they get themselves involved with the festivities. My name is Mutoh and I am in charge of the carnival preparations which has always been my duty."

" I'm Takato and this is Rika," said Takato.

" Those are some strange names for a pair of Dekus like yourselves, but that is no business of mine to question what your parents decided to name you. Most of the people in Clock Town are getting themselves ready for the carnival so my suggestion to you would be to choose your words carefully so as to avoid any problems.

Oh, and I should also mention that since you two are just kids and not adults like most of the people around here, the guards aren't going to allow you to leave unless you are accompanied by an adult. The guards may not be the sharpest of soldiers around but they do stick to their duties well, so don't think that you'll be getting past them without someone to guide you," said Mutoh.

" Do you know if anyone can help us?" asked Takato.

" That all depends on what you need," replied Mutoh.

" We're trying to find some instruments in order to have someone else help us deal with a problem that we are having. He told us that we should go around town in order to find our answers and come back to him inside of the tower where he currently resides," said Takato.

" Dekus tend to play what they call the Quintuplet Horn due to it being five different horns all connected to the same mouth piece, so I can see why you two need to find some as you look as though you haven't received them from your parents or from that eccentric Deku King who rules over your kind. Most people that sell supplies wont be carrying what you need in stock, and the vast majority of them wont do any business with Dekus which only adds to your problems.

There is one fellow though you might be able to help you as he deals in all kinds of strange items that he gets from unknown places. He is the man who owns the Curiosity Shop on the west side of town and if anyone can help you, it will be him as he has recently opened his business to allow Dekus, Gorons, and Zoras to trade in items to him. His prices are rather steep but no one else around here carries the kind of stock that he has, so he is your best bet if you need to get a hold of Deku instruments," said Mutoh.

" Then to the west side we shall go," said Takato.

" The Curiosity Shop is open only during the night starting at 10:00pm and since it is only the middle of the day based on the sun's position in the sky, you'll have to wait for about ten hours or so before he opens for business which means that you two are going to have to kill some time," said Mutoh.

" Anything else?" asked Takato.

" Just be careful that you don't get yourselves into trouble otherwise the guards are going to be all over you in force. I'd like to continue talking with you two Dekus but I need to get back to work for this carnival isn't going to be preparing itself now. Come on you on guys! Let's pick up the pace a little if we want to finish this thing early this year!" replied Mutoh as he walked away from us. He certainly proved to be very informative which is what we need to gather up if we are to survive in a town that has a strong hatred towards Deku Scrubs.

Takato and I then decided to travel to the north part of Clock Town to see if we could find someone else that might be willing to help us in our time of need. North Clock Town had no actual buildings aside from a children's playground, a large cave, and a fenced off area that has some more of those Deku Flowers that we used to make our way across that cave we were in earlier.

As usual, Takato completely ignored the advice he had been given and decided to speak to the guard who was standing by the town's exit. I on the other hand decided to speak to a small boy wearing a red bandanna on his head to find out if he could give me some help. At first he was ignoring me due to focusing all of his attention on a balloon that he was trying to pop with some kind of slingshot.

I remembered from my playthrough of this game that Deku's have the ability to spit out bubbles from their mouths if they have magic power, but since Takato pretty much confirmed that we have no magic, the only choice I had was to use a nearby stone in order to pop that balloon myself. POP!

" Who did that?"

" I think it's kind of obvious that I was the one who popped your balloon," I replied.

" How about that? A Deku Scrub with an attitude!"

" Care to say that to me again but this time right in my face?" I asked.

" Most scrubs that I've seen are very meek in nature which is one of the reasons why they are treated badly by most of the grown-ups in town, but you certainly have the makings of a wild animal what with the way you're speaking to me. I do find it odd that you had to rely on a stone in order to pop my balloon as your kind are able to use bubbles so long as they have magic on their side."

" My friend and I don't exactly have magic," I said.

" Then that makes the two of you rather unusual even for Deku Scrubs which is actually a nice change of pace when you consider what most of them are like."

" Most of them, I mean, my kind are often seen as being nothing but trouble only because we have a strong tendency to switch our alliances in order to get the most benefits out of them. My friend and I have been asking around town in order to see if they can give us some information with regards to aiding us in our problems," I said.

" Deku Scrubs with problems? You two really are different from the rest of your kind." This kid was acting as though he had never seen a Deku Scrub with the characteristics of a human before which made me want to give him a real piece of my mind, but then I couldn't do that to him as he didn't really know that Takato and I are humans just like he is but trapped in the bodies of Dekus.

Renamon was watching over us from the safety of the shadows due to being able to pick up her presence, but I made some quick signs to her not to come out as we don't want to cause any other problems. " I also noticed that you are a female Deku Scrub which makes you somewhat of a rare sight as most of the scrubs I've seen around here are male."

" Okay." I said with a concerned look on my face which wanted to be changed to one of anger just because he said those words in that kind of fashion.

" What is your friend trying to do?"

" He wanted to ask that guard over there for some help although we were warned not to do that," I replied.

" And you appear to be the smarter one for that as Dekus like you two are often seen as kids that happen to be wandering around for no reason, and it keeps the guards busy all day long just trying to keep all of you under control. Your friend won't be having much luck talking to that guard as he refuses to listen to the words of kids as he sees them as troublemakers that just want to cause some mischief.

I find that to be rather insulting myself for I am a kid and what he says also affects me. You should be lucky that you were able to talk to me directly instead of one of my fellow Bombers otherwise your conversation would have ended with the words " I don't talk to scrubs!" due to how the rest of the group feels about you."

" Bombers?" I asked.

" My name is Jim and I am the leader of the Bombers Gang. Our duty around here is to go around in order to help out anyone who happens to be in trouble, and by helping those people deal with whatever problems they have at the time, we ourselves end up feeling happy as well just because we were able to assist someone in need. The rest of the Bombers have a strong hatred towards Deku Scrubs although I myself show no prejudice as I have to aid anyone who is in need as that is what I do for a living.

We do acquire additional members who help people on their own without the rest of us tagging along, but know that the other members don't accept scrubs so if you were looking to join our cause that is something that isn't going to happen all because of who you are." He did forget to mention that the Bombers all carry around notebooks which they use to record the details of the various people who wish for them to help resolve their problems, and this is something that was so obvious that it amazed me that he forgot all about it.

It was at this time that Takato finally came back after having been scolded enough times by the guard although I told him to stay away as I needed to press this Jim kid for some more information, and goggle-boy here was very likely to make some kind of mistake which would ruin everything. I had to explain what I needed to him carefully so as to avoid the notion that the two of us were people who have been changed into Deku Scrubs through some kind of powerful magic.

" So you help out people in need?" I asked.

" That is the main duty that we Bombers must perform," replied Jim.

" Will you help my friend and me despite that we are in fact Dekus?" I asked.

" It will need to be a quick favour for if the rest of the Bombers saw me aiding a Deku Scrub, they would never let me hear the end of it and it would cause a rift in our group," replied Jim.

" The two of us are trying to find information that will allow us to acquire some instruments which we need to bring to someone so that they can help us with a personal matter. So far, we have learned that there is a shop in the west side of town that deals with all kinds of unique merchandise, but we were wondering as to what kind of prices are given to the items sold there," I said.

" You must be talking about the Curiosity Shop as that place has been very popular for those looking for the strange objects that exist in Termina. The shop owner has been known to make all kinds of deals with the various tribes in order to acquire some very rare treats which he then sells off to other people at high prices.

Such items are usually priced depending on just how rare it is with the cheapest items being priced at 90 rupees with the highest being around 500 rupees. That means that only the richest of customers will be able to purchase the rare items that the Curiosity Shop sells, and since you two are looking for Deku Scrub instruments, you're going to be needing quite a lot of rupees especially if you plan on buying for two," said Jim.

" We have 20 rupees," I began.

" That won't even come close to what you really need," said Jim.

" So where can we find some more rupees?" I asked.

" Clock Town isn't really well known for having treasure troves filled with rupees as that sort of thing can be found on the outside, but since the guards won't allow either of you to leave that means that you'll need to find what you need around here.

There is another Deku Scrub like you who lives very close to the Curiosity Shop and he is looking for all kinds of rare items in order to trade to the shop owner in exchange for other goods. He has been spending much of his free time lately trying to find something very valuable that only comes around whenever the moon decides to shed a tear," replied Jim.

" You must mean a Moon's Tear right?" I asked.

" That is what the other Deku Scrub in the center of town wants every now and again for he has a thing for such treasures as that, but this other Deku wants the Gold Moon's Tear which are extremely rare and are said to be worth a fortune. He has often said that he will trade a Gold Moon's Tear for a large amount of rupees yet no one has yet to provide him with that Tear due to the rarity it holds.

One of those Gold Moon's Tears is probably worth close to 500 rupees or maybe even more than that, but I wouldn't really know for sure as I've never seen one in person. What I can tell you though is there is someone living in town who has a Gold Moon's Tear in his collection and is willing to part with it for a price, and he may be your only hope if you are to make any kind of deals with the Curiosity Shop," replied Jim.

" So who has what we need?" I asked.

" Mayor Dotour acquired his Gold Moon's Tear a long time ago when he happened to have chanced upon it by an incredible means of luck. He's often said that he has no real need for it and has been trying to get rid of it for the last few months, yet no one is able to acquire it from him all because they are not able to pay the price that he had demanded," replied Jim.

" Price?" I asked.

" The price is that in order to acquire the Gold Moon's Tear, you must be willing to spend a few hours listening to the mayor go on about his stories. It may not sound that bad to you at first but Mayor Dotour is well known for telling some of the most boring stories in all of Termina; stories that you could make you fall asleep for hours on end only because of how dull they are. Anyone who manages to agree to that would need to be really brave and desperate if they want that Tear of his so much," replied Jim.

" Then if that is what we need to do then we'll do it," I said.

" You're going to need a lot of luck if you want to get your hands on that Tear so badly," said Jim. He told us that we needed to make our way to East Clock Town which is where the mayor has his residence, but then I started to remember the experiences I had speaking to Dotour when I played Majora's Mask before ending up in the actual game world itself. He always has trouble trying to end meetings because he has so much on his mind that he often ends up being swamped to the point where he doesn't want to do anything else.

He could be in a meeting right now which would make our job all the more difficult, but we had to do as our chance of being changed back to normal was riding on whether we could stay awake long enough to listen to his stories. We soon came across the mayor's residence although it didn't exactly stick out like a sore thumb or anything which made it quite odd. It was also strange that his place of residence wasn't in the center of Clock Town as shouldn't someone of his status be at the heart of the action?

That was something that Takato and I decided not to think about as we had to focus our minds on trying to stay awake in order to get our hands on the Gold Moon's Tear which we could use to get some money for instruments. Takato asked if I thought that the Curiosity Shop would be selling Deku Scrub instruments by the time we would stop there later that evening, but I told him that all of this was a big risk which we needed to have pay off in the end otherwise we were going to be stuck as Deku Scrubs.

" Shall we go in?" asked Takato.

" That's a stupid question to ask goggle-head as what else are we supposed to do?" I asked back.

" I kind of forgot that we need to speak to Mayor Dotour," said Takato.

" Something tells me that I should do all of the talking while we're inside otherwise who knows what might happen," I said. The door to the residence was open so we walked inside and found that the decor was really impressive, but then what do you expect from the one person in town that acts as the leader for the entire community.

There was a desk in front of us which indicated that the mayor had his own personal secretary, yet she appeared to have stepped out for a moment which actually proved to be helpful as now we don't have to explain our reasons for being here.

" Which door do we choose?" asked Takato. On either side of the desk via the back wall were two doors with one of them leading into the mayor's office, and the other leading to the room that was frequently used by his wife, Madame Aroma. I crept over to the door on our left and tried to see if I could listen in on what was being side from the other side.

I heard a woman's voice coming from beyond the door in addition to the voices of another woman, and a man which made it clear that this was Madame Aroma's room for I could hear the voices talking about married life and wanting to have a house built somewhere in town.

That meant that the other door was the one we needed and so I crept over to that one in order to see if I could hear any voices coming from inside. Sure enough, there came one voice from beyond the door and this one was talking about personal experiences that he had been through back in his younger days.

" Mayor Dotour is behind this door as I can hear him talking to himself about what he used to do back when he was younger," I said.

" Do you think that he will want to speak to Deku Scrubs?" asked Takato.

" Again that is a risk that we need to take otherwise we're not going to be getting anywhere stuck like this," I replied as I pointed towards my own body to remind him that we are stuck in these forms until we can be cured. I then knocked quietly on the door so as to not disturb the conversation taking place in the other room, and as it opened Takato and I came face to face with Mayor Dotour who looked as though he hadn't spoken to anyone for a very long time.

To Be Continued.

The next part will be in Rika's perspective again as her thoughts on what she and Takato are going to be doing will be quite interesting to look at. Renamon will get her perspective in Chapter Six so don't think that she is going to be left out of the cycle. Once again I appreciate any feedback that you might have towards this story as I enjoy the comments you leave behind.


	5. Dealings in the Curiosity Shop

Takato and Rika in Termina

By Ganondorf8

Dealings in the Curiosity Shop

Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon, Digimon Tamers, The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, or anything else that is associated through a disclaimer. Any original characters you see (and there will be some) are copyrighted to me because that is something that I can do.

Author's Note: Rika's perspective as mentioned last time with Renamon getting her perspective in the next chapter.

In The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, the owner of the Curiosity Shop is known as "Man from the Curiosity Shop" according to what the Bombers Notebook says about him. He appears here as simply "Curiosity Shop Man" just to make it sound easier.

Finally, the character known as "Rare Deku" who appears further down the chapter is an original character as there was no Deku like him in the west area of Clock Town.

Rika's POV

" What can I do for you Deku Scrubs?" asked Mayor Dotour

" Are you the mayor of Clock Town?" I asked.

" Hmmm, yes, yes I am the mayor of this fine town although this is the first time that I have been approached by Deku Scrubs. You are lucky that you caught me at a time where I have no meetings scheduled so you will be getting my full attention with regards to what problems you may have," replied Dotour. In the video game the mayor always had problems when it came to meetings as he found it difficult to conclude them especially if they drag on way too long for his liking.

From what I gathered from his appearance he hadn't been involved in as many meetings as what he is expected of which made it easy for me to ask him our question. Takato was actually going to ask him about what has been happening in town since the incident with the moon, but I kept his mouth shut so that I could talk to Dotour as I did tell goggle-head that I would be doing all of the talking.

" We were wondering if you part ways with that Gold Moon's Tear?" I asked.

" You're not the first ones who have desired to have this treasure as many others have come before you did in order to claim this item. I can tell that you really want this tear badly but I am sure that you know that you need to pay the price if you want to leave with it in your possession," replied Dotour.

" What kind of stories do you have?" I asked.

" Ah, so the Deku Scrubs are even aware that my price involves listening to my many stories of my youth? Who would have thought that such news would have reached the deepest regions of Woodfall? All I ask is for at least one of you to listen to what I have to say while the other can do whatever they so wish, for if both of you end up falling asleep then you will not be getting your hands on the Gold Moon's Tear. Everyone else who has wanted it have ended up falling asleep after hearing some of my stories although I don't know why that is the case," replied Dotour.

He doesn't know why people fall asleep when listening to him? No wonder he is often oblivious to what goes on around him as I thought that it was easy enough to figure out that his stories were boring which in turn causes people who listen to fall asleep. If we wanted that tear then we needed to stay awake although the mayor didn't exactly say how long this was going to take other than he had at least ten different stories on hand.

This was going to be a difficult one for us which makes me yearn to fight a wild Digimon as opposed to something like this. The mayor began to tell his first story and I was ready to fall asleep after hearing him speak for only two minutes; what he was saying to enough to make even the strongest of warriors want to lie down for a while which is why I was drifting in and out from time to time.

Takato on the other hand was staying awake and was actually thrilled to listen to such stories which made me feel rather uneasy as how would anyone want to listen to such dribble as this?

" Are you falling asleep?" whispered Takato.

" You may this to be entertaining goggle-head but I just want to sleep right through it," I whispered back.

" I guess you really need to have a good taste in order to appreciate and enjoy certain kinds of stories," whispered Takato

" As long as you stay awake we'll be able to get our hands on that Gold Moon's Tear so I suggest that you don't fall asleep and let me do just that," I whispered back.

" There's no way that I would want to miss any of these details as the mayor has had so many different experiences back when he was a younger man. Even though he said that he is going to tell us ten different stories, I really hope that he tell more than that as I have this feeling that I want to hear every last one that he has," whispered Takato.

If I wasn't so sleepy I would have punched him in the shoulder for saying something like that, but then I guess that Takato really does like the mayor's stories so I supposed that it wouldn't hurt to have him go past his minimum requirement.

About an hour or so later the mayor had finally finished the last of his stories at which I finally woke up from my sleep feeling refreshed and ready to do anything. Takato on the other hand had been listening to each story and told me that he had been asking all kinds of questions after each story was finished. I didn't know what creeped me out more; the fact that Takato asked questions on a regular basis, or that he had managed to stay awake for at least a dozen or so stories.

Either way the mayor was very impressed that someone had finally managed to stay awake in order to listen to him rant on about his past experiences.

" You are quite the listener which makes me happy knowing that my stories have charmed you," said Dotour.

" How could anyone fall asleep while listening to such good stories?" asked Takato.

" That is something that I wish to know as well," replied Dotour.

" So do we get what we came for?" I ask.

" Hmmm, yes you do get to have my possession for you paid the price that I had laid out to all those who desired it," replied Dotour as he handed the Gold Moon's Tear to me. It sparked in such a beautiful light that I didn't want to give it away to the Deku Scrub who has been looking for it, but then I realized that we had to give it to him so that we could move one step closer towards regaining our human forms again.

" The Gold Moon's Tear is a very rare treasure that only appear once every few years or so whenever the moon decides to shed a tear from its eyes. There is a Deku Scrub who lives right by the Curiosity Shop and he has been trying to get his hands on this particular tear for many years now. As he is one of the Business Scrubs among their tribe he is not able to leave the safety of his flower in order to do business elsewhere, and so he was forced to remain in his place of residence waiting for someone to come by with a Gold Moon's Tear."

" We needed this tear in order to make a trade with him," I said.

" That is a very wise thing that you are doing allowing him to receive what he wants, yes indeed," said Dotour.

" What did you mean by Business Scrub?" I asked.

" Business Scrubs are well-known for setting up locations in all areas across Termina so that they can tailor to a certain group with which to do business. They follow a strict series of guidelines which they perform without any kind of flaw so you had best be prepared to make quite the deal for that tear.

It is also known that Business Scrubs will trade their Deku Flowers to anyone they see as being worthy of it and the deal ends up being finalized when the "title deed" for that flower has been handed over to the new owner; even if that someone isn't a Deku Scrub as to them it all means business," replied Dotour.

" What about this particular Deku that we have to deal with?" I asked.

" He is a very aloof character in that he doesn't make deals very often with customers due to what he wants are the rarest of the rare. Because of this stance many refer to him as the "Rare Deku" as all he wants are rare items that are nearly impossible to find. He is a very rich Deku Scrub who has made a vast fortune just by trading around these rare items, although they say that he will give anyone a large number of rupees if they are able to give him the one thing that he wants which you now hold in your hands.

I should advise you to be careful for if you don't have what he wants then he won't even speak to you which is another reason why he is so aloof in nature. As long as you reach him with the Gold Moon's Tear intact, he will be happy to receive for he demands nothing short of perfection when anyone comes to trade with him," replied Dotour.

Takato and I said our thanks and goodbyes to the mayor as he said that he needed to get back to work which was kind of strange seeing as he had all that time to tell his stories. When Guilmon and Renamon watching from the safety of the shadows, we traveled to the west side of town which housed many different shops including the one that we needed to enter...the Curiosity Shop.

" How could you not know what a Business Scrub is?" asked Takato.

" It's not like I've ever dealt with them before," I replied.

" You get to deal with one during the first part of the game as you need to trade that one a regular Moon's Tear in order to obtain the Land Title Deed which grants you access to the Deku Flower he has which you need to use in order to reach the top of the Clock Tower," said Takato.

" Okay, so I didn't have time to read through all of that as I wanted to get through it as fast as possible," I said.

" Doing that will only get you into trouble," sighed Takato.

" You just keep on thinking like that goggle-head," I said. The Curiosity Shop didn't exactly stick out or anything as it resembled the other shops that were lined up down the street, but the one thing that was on my mind was why was his shop open only during the late hours. It would make more sense for him to be open all day as that would allow him to garner more in the way of business.

" How long do you think we have to wait for the owner to open?" asked Takato.

" Do you think that I have a watch that can tell Termina time?" I asked.

" Maybe that guy over there might be able to help us," replied Takato as he pointed towards a flower that housed an unusual looking Deku Scrub who must be the Rare Deku that the mayor told us about. I have to admit that this Deku was located in a place that everyone could see which kind of goes against his overall mystique. Takato tried to get near him which resulted in his retreat down into his flower which shows that he is also rather the cautious one when he has to be.

" That was the wrong approach you know," I moaned.

" So how would you approach it?" asked Takato.

" Just leave all of the talking to me again," I replied. I walked slowly towards the Rare Deku who still had himself rooted into his flower which made me wonder if I could get him out. The first thing I tried was a simple hello but that resulted in no reaction so I tried a more formal greeting. Again, that proved to be a failure which is when I decided to yell at him for not wanting to speak to us, and even that didn't get us anywhere which left me more flustered than I've ever been in my life.

Then I realized that I was also a Deku Scrub so maybe he would react to something that one of his own kind would say. This was something that I should have done right from the beginning as that would have avoided those other problems. So I spoke in a different way choosing to use words and motions that were associated with the Dekus, and this got his attention as he finally popped his head up from his flower and placed on a small hat.

" So you two are Dekus?" asked Rare Deku. That I found was a really stupid question as what else were we supposed to be if we were not Deku Scrubs like he was.

" Yes and we have come to make a trade with you," I replied.

" Usually the people that I deal with are members of the other tribe so don't be offended when I say that this is the first time that I have ever dealt with my own kind. You don't see too many Dekus around here all because of how we are seen in the eyes of the humans who live around here, yet you might say that I am an exception when you consider my current line of work.

I am known in Clock Town as the Rare Deku for I deal in various trades that involve items of extreme rarity. Those who don't have such items will be refused straight off the bat so unless you two have something of that kind of quality, don't expect me to stick around as I will just simply ignore you until you go away," said Rare Deku.

" What do you want?" I asked.

" I have longed to have a Gold Moon's Tear which is said to be one of the rarest treasures in all of Termina. I have heard rumours that Mayor Dotour has one of these tears in his possession, but I am unable to speak to him about it for I must remain here in my flower so as to not lose any of the valuables that I have. Also, I find that the mayor is simply asking too much when it comes to paying his price which is why no one has ever managed to get that tear off of him," replied Rare Deku.

" The two of us were recently at his residence," I began.

" And I take it that you failed just like the rest?" asked Rare Deku.

" Not exactly," I answered as I took out the Gold Moon's Tear and showed it to him. His reaction was priceless as he started to bounce around like a madman which freaked Takato and me out, but soon he regained his composure before taking out a small notepad along with a pencil. The notepad featured a list of different people's names along with the names of rare items that have been traded to the Rare Deku and back the other way which shows that he was one who liked to keep tabs on just about anything that comes his way.

" So you two managed to succeed where so many have failed in the past," said Rare Deku.

" We know that you want this badly but the question is what can we get in return?" I asked.

" Name your price," replied Rare Deku.

" We need rupees in order to get something in that shop over there," I said.

" So you wish to make some kind of business in the Curiosity Shop? That shop deals in all kinds of unusual artefacts that one can only find in there such as various tools that come from one of the tribes of Termina. The owner of the shop happens to be one of my regular customers although I always close my flower for a while in order to trade with him simply because I am just a few steps from his door.

He used to only trade with humans but now he trades with all of the tribes as he figured that expanding in such a fashion would get him even more rarities. His shop doesn't open until late at night which makes it difficult to reach him as he enjoys making deals at a time where only the truly savy customers come around.

Anyway, you said that you want rupees in exchange for the Gold Moon's Tear which I find to be a reasonable trade so long as you get the right amount otherwise I would be cheating you and that goes against the guidelines," said Rare Deku.

" How much can you give us?" I asked.

" I would say that you would receive about 1000 rupees due to the rarity of the item and that it is in perfect condition," replied Rare Deku.

" Give us 1200 rupees and you can even keep the container that it was put in to keep it safe from any kind of harm," I said.

" Done!" said Rare Deku. I handed over the Gold Moon's Tear as well as the container which followed by him giving me a wallet that was filled to the brim with hundreds and hundreds of rupees. Takato finally asked as to what time the Curiosity Shop was going to open, and Rare Deku answered that we were fortunate as the shop was going to open any minute now as it was almost 10:00pm.

How was that for a coincidence that we just so happened to arrive just moments before the shop was going to be open for business? The world of Termina continues to get stranger and stranger with every passing minute. But, who I am to complain so long as we can finish up our business here before having to go back to the Clock Tower where our mysterious friend is waiting for us.

" You two have really made me happy this day for I have longed for the Gold Moon's Tear for many a year, and I am sure that your new wealth will be of great importance to you as the Curiosity Shop features rather expensive items. Before you make your way I must ask you to tell me your names so that I can write this information down on my notepad for future references."

" I'm Rika and this is Takato," I said.

" Such strange names for fellow Dekus but I am not one to pass such judgment so I say thank you again and I wish you luck in that shop," said Rare Deku as he went back down into his flower leaving the two of us to walk over to the Curiosity Shop which we did in just a matter of moments.

Takato tried to open the door to see if it was open for business, and we were happy to find that we could open it and so we walked inside while our Digimon remained outside for safety reasons. The interior of the Curiosity Shop was filled with all kinds of crates which must be filled with who knows what when you consider the nature of this place. Standing behind a counter was the owner of the shop who looked rather pleased to see some customers entering his domain.

" What can I do you for you two Dekus?" asked the Curiosity Shop Man.

" We have heard from various people in Clock Town that you sell unusual items that one is not able to find anywhere else which is why we have come here before you this day," I replied.

" Then what you have heard is true for I deal in all kinds of items that no one else carries in their stock. For example I have here the newest Bomb Bag which has just arrived in my store a few days ago via certain means which were difficult to fulfill.

The Bomb Shop a few doors along also sell Bomb Bags but this one is something that not even they have for it was crafted by a Goron specifically which makes it all the more unusual. I take it from that large wallet that you two have a lot of money to spend so I will get right to the point and ask you what is it that you need," said the Curiosity Shop Man.

" We need instruments," I began.

" Yes, I do sell instruments but it all depends on what kind you need," said the Curiosity Shop Man.

" My friend and I need Deku Scrub related instruments," I said.

" You must be referring to the Quintuplet Horn that is a staple among your society, and you two are in luck for I have exactly what you are looking for so just give me a moment to find them." The Curiosity Shop Man then disappeared for a moment which allowed Takato and me to make a quick assessment of what we were about to do.

We hoped that we had enough rupees as we needed to purchase two horns, for if we didn't have enough then we would be in an even worse situation plus we would have wasted this guy's time. He soon came back holding two Quintuplet Horns that looked as though they had been recently forged somewhere.

" These two horns are made from the finest quality that the Dekus have at their disposal so know that you are going to be receiving pure perfection, and so now we come to the payment issues to which I hope that you are able to afford. In this shop my prices are rather steep but then know that you can't find what I have anywhere else so the selling point is well within reason."

" How much?" I asked.

" 500 rupees for each one," replied the Curiosity Shop Man. That was a real scare for a moment I thought that we weren't going to have enough rupees on hand to pay for these instruments, but perhaps the biggest break was that we had some rupees to spare which we could use for something else later on. On a side note, I never knew that I would be so good at making deals which shows that I should have made some effort to studying the art of business.

I handed over the wallet where he then took out 1000 rupees before handing the wallet back to me, but I asked if I could check to make sure that he did take out 1000 rupees as I didn't want to get giped or anything. There was exactly 1000 rupees on the counter so I acknowledged this and the Curiosity Shop Man put the money away in a secret location before handing over the instruments.

With these Quintuplet Horns in our possession we could now finally change back to the way we were and not have to be stuck as Deku Scrubs any longer. There was only one thing that was on my mind, and that was just how were we meant to use these instruments anyway? It's not like that guy in the Clock Tower told us what we were to do with them so now we were once again stuck with no options other than to return to the tower and see what happens next.

To Be Continued.

Once again I appreciate any and all feedback that you happen to have so don't be afraid to speak your mind.


	6. To Be Human Again

Takato and Rika in Termina

By Ganondorf8

To Be Human Again

Author's Note: Originally I did plan for Takato and Rika to regain their human forms at the start of this chapter, but then I came up with something else which is what you're seeing instead. They still change back to normal only now it happens later on. Also there are some references to the game again and even to Digimon Tamers.

Please note that I stayed up late to write this chapter as what I wanted to do was still fresh in my mind and I had to do something with it before it would be lost to me.

Renamon's POV

Ever since I first met Rika back when she wanted to have the strongest Digimon by her side, I've always had this strong connection with her that has been through so much. There were times when both of us saw each other as wanting to depend on the other for power, being at odds with one another, and even becoming closer as a partner and tamer should.

Through these experiences I have come to understand how she feels with what she does with her life, although as of late she has been showing signs where her attitude reaches a boiling point. Ever since we were first brought into this strange world by being pulled into that game of Takato's, she has been agitated over the smallest of details which I have noticed along with Takato.

I have wanted to be by her side in order to help her deal with these problems but because I am a Digimon wandering about a world that knows nothing about us, I must remain in the shadows otherwise they would only be panic as a result of the humans reacting to me in the wrong way. Takato and Rika have managed to take advantage of their current situation by expressing their feelings towards one another although this can be see as mute at best for the urge to become human once again has taken precedence over everything else.

Guilmon and I had been waiting near the Curiosity Shop which is where our tamers had gone to so that they could acquire what they needed in order to be human again, but my heart was telling me that I needed to speak to her soon before it was too late for Rika was on the verge of losing her composure entirely due to what has been thrusted upon her. There was another thought that had been on my mind and it was the one that involved the Deku Scrubs being treated badly by the humans.

Rika has been exposed to such harsh sentiments due to what she has become and I wanted to oh so harm those who would dare threaten her, but I am powerless to do anything about it for I am a stranger in a world that doesn't even understand what I am. It was around that time when Takato and Rika finally exited from the shop carrying two strange-looking instruments with them which meant that they had succeeded.

" So what can we do with this extra money?" asked Takato.

" It'd be a foolish idea for either one of us to hold onto it so we need to store it away somewhere before we take care of some unfinished business. You've played this game longer than I have so is there anywhere around here that would be able to keep our money safe?" asked Rika.

" There is a bank just a short distance away from here where they store away any rupees you may have," replied Takato.

" What's the catch?" asked Rika.

" You need to get your hand stamped with some kind of special mark that allows the guy in charge to always recognize you no matter what you look like. I know it sounds strange but then this character goes through that experience when you speak to him in any of Link's form during the game.

The maximum number of rupees that he store away for us is up to 5000 which at that point he won't accept anymore and instead he would insist on us using that much," replied Takato.

" Just when I thought all of this couldn't get any stranger," moaned Rika.

" You've been rather moody ever since we got here," began Takato.

" It's just that so much has happened to the two of us ever since we were pulled into this world that I'm starting to lose my mind. At first I thought that this was just a bad dream I was having and that I was going to wake up in my bed at any moment, but when I found out that this wasn't a dream then I started to believe that this was all just a game and that we were okay back in our world.

Now I have this strong belief that all of this is real whereas you have had this same belief right from the start," said Rika.

" I know all of this has come on a little too quickly but if you allow your emotions to get the best of you then what use are you going to be to our cause?" asked Takato.

" You may not be the smartest guy I know Takato, but you are one of the sweetest that I've ever met," smiled Rika. It just goes to show you that humans are capable of resolving their own issues without the need of any Digimon support. Once again they have expressed their feelings towards one another which made me smile knowing that Rika was able to get along so well with Takato despite his many faults.

They would soon visit the bank in order to deposit their remaining rupees which brought about quite the reaction from the one in charge for he wasn't expecting a pair of Dekus to come to him with so much wealth on their hands. With this task now having been completed, Takato and Rika returned to the Clock Tower with Guilmon and I in pursuit so that they could at long last be changed back to normal.

When we all entered the tower without being seen by the guards who were out late on patrol, we discovered that the man who had instructed our tamers to find the instruments was no where to be found and this made Rika feel really angry at first. Takato managed to find a piece of paper that had been nailed to the wall although it was in a language that neither he nor Rika were able to understand.

" I thought that he would have stayed long enough," said Takato.

" That's what we get for trusting someone we don't even know," sighed Rika.

" I wonder what this message says," said Takato.

" Neither of us can read it as it's in some kind of foreign language," moaned Rika.

" Perhaps I should read it to you," I began.

" You can read this?" asked Rika.

" When I first noticed that this piece of paper had strange symbols all over it I suspected that something was unusual about it, but now that I have seen it up close I can verify that these symbols represent an ancient language known only to the Digimon;

a language that goes all the way back to the first days when our world was first created. It's strange to find this kind of language here in a world that knows nothing of us but I suppose that anything can happen seeing as so much has been thrown at us from all directions," I replied.

" So what does it say?" asked Rika.

" It says that the one who instructed you to find the instruments was forced to flee this area due to the presence of the one who transformed you two into Deku Scrubs. He says that he now awaits you both on top of the Clock Tower which opens up to become a platform when the clock strikes midnight, and that we should go there as soon as possible in order to reverse the effects that have plagued both of you ever since that incident in the cave," I replied.

" Do you think that Digimon actually exist in Termina?" asked Takato.

" That's a stupid question to ask as none of them even exist in the video game," replied Rika.

" This world isn't the video game Rika and we've seen plenty of examples around Clock Town that shows that to be true. If there are Digimon in this world then they must have come here via methods that we never even knew about," said Takato.

" Renamon, are these symbols really Digimon related?" asked Rika. I nodded my head which meant that these symbols were of the ancient language of the Digital World, yet this was puzzling for how could my own kind have entered a world like this which lacks any kind of data. There were other questions that were circling around our heads but these would have to wait until later for there were more important things that needed to be taken care of.

The four of us walked outside and looked up towards the top of the Clock Tower which had since transformed itself into a large platform due to the time having gone past midnight. No one was around to witness this event which must have meant that no one in particular saw this to be interesting, but I suppose that different people will have different opinions on the matter.

There was a Deku Flower nearby which was devoid of any Dekus which meant that Takato and Rika could use it in order to reach that platform, but I took no chances so I checked around the area to make sure that no one was coming by that was Deku Scrub themed. This flower was yellow in colour as opposed to pink which actually suited me better, and yet this colour difference might play some kind of factor when it came down to the flying aspect behind the flower.

" I wonder where the Deku Scrub who owns this flower has gone off to?" asked Takato.

" I remember seeing him in the game where you had to trade with him in order to be able to use this flower," said Rika.

" He was willing to give you this flower in exchange for a Moon's Tear which I found to be a simple trade as it didn't involve money. Of course this flower was later occupied by another Deku who was doing business in Woodfall so really he is the one who now owns this flower," said Takato.

" Anyone around Renamon?" asked Rika.

" I believe that it's safe for you to use this flower," I replied.

" Maybe, but I just don't like it," moaned Rika.

" Only one way to find out," began Takato.

" And what's that goggle-head?" asked Rika. Without even saying another word Takato dove into the flower before popping out of it and flew over to the platform. He was one of those people who was able to do whatever he wanted without having to really think about what his actions might be.

Even though it was difficult for me to see the expressions on Rika's face due to the Dekus not having much in the way of facial expressions, I knew that Rika was smiling at Takato for taking matters into his own hands and not regarding the consequences. I had no choice but to carry Guilmon up to the platform for they couldn't perform this job plus it would have been unfair if I got to see all of the action while he just waited down below.

The platform itself was rather large in nature which made it look like some kind of battlefield, but then it was rather bland with the only thing going for it was the fact that there was such a nice view of the entire town and beyond for that matter. Takato began to observe the area in order to see if he could find anything, yet this was another example of his obliviousness as this platform was too bare to have something left behind.

Rika just stood there shivering as though she were being touched by some cold hand, or that she could feel the pressure of someone very strong nearby.

" I've been waiting for you two to arrive here for some time."

" That voice," I began.

" You're the one who turned us into Deku Scrubs!" shouted Rika.

" At least you haven't lost your memories which means that you will still prove yourselves to be useful to me. I've been watching your little exploits ever since you first left the Clock Tower, and I have to say that I am impressed that the two of you were able to make it all the way here with those instruments.

To think that I originally believed that you would not be able to last for very long in a world that you know nothing about; I was wrong about that for it seems that you have quite the knowledge with regards to Termina. Once again you have proven to be entertaining and so I must thank you for giving me quite the experience my young Dekus."

" Who are you?" asked Rika.

" Turn around and you'll see for yourself." We all turned around and standing behind us was a robbed figure wearing black and gold coloured robes whose entire body was covered by his clothing making it impossible for any of us to see what lies beneath. Guilmon started to growl while I began to feel a strange power coming from this figure...so he is very strong which makes him someone we have to watch out for.

" Your two companions have already figured out that I wield a strong power but then that makes sense when you consider just what they are. But the two of you even now remain clueless as to what I am which makes me cringe at the thought of you being the ones asked to aid this world. I wanted to transform you into Deku Scrubs in order to see what kind of reactions and experiences you would get out of it in the end.

From what I have observed you have learned what it means to exist as a creature whom others look down upon and treat without any kind of compassion. I suppose you are wondering as to what I am doing here on top of the legendary Carnival of Time that rises during the time of the great festival that takes place in Clock Town.

It was here on this platform that the only other person who came to this world from another faced off against his nemesis. Kind of brings a tear to your eye doesn't it?"

" Hardly," moaned Rika.

" Some people are easier to please than others."

" Again, who are you?" asked Rika.

" There is no need for you to know my name for you will not be lasting that long in this world given your current track record as of late. You may have managed to interact with the people by speaking to them but know that you have also been conflicted with many different aspects that are only now starting to take their toll on you.

It simply amazes me that you two kids have managed to last this long when you consider that neither of you appear to be able to get along with one another. But I digress for there is much more that you are going to be experiencing in Termina for what you have seen already is nothing more than a small piece of a much larger pie that even now continues to expand.

I was thinking that we could play a game for a few minutes in order to have ourselves a little bit of fun before getting down to business, and also because I want to see if you Deku Scrubs have learned anything important. All you need to do is just shoot at me until you are able to hit me a certain number of times by which at that time the game will be over.

It is a very simple thing for you to do as you have magical powers at your disposal which allow you to create bubbles which you can use against me in order to inflict any kind of damage upon me."

" We don't have any magic," said Takato.

" Did you not see the Great Fairy?"

" She was here?" asked Takato.

" You two have much to learn if you wish to survive long enough in this world, but then that also means that we are not able to play this game of mine which means that we will just have to do something else that will provide me with some worthwhile entertainment. I have the perfect game in mind which we can all play together; a game that involves me picking each one of you off until no one is left standing."

That made me snap long before the same could happen to Rika and so I decided to attack this stranger for he had threatened Rika and I wasn't going to allow him to do that. I used one of my strongest attacks in order to inflict some damage upon him but I was shocked to discover that my attack simply bounced off of his body as though it never made contact.

Whoever this character was he was a lot stronger than I had given him credit for. " You're not going to be succeeding at anything if you decide to use such simple brute force against me. What you did just now isn't going to do you any good so I will suggest that you don't try that trick again. And what do you two Dekus plan on doing for all of this stems around your means of existence.

You have so many opportunities on hand and yet you are not able to see any one of these reaching out to you in a blind fashion." It sounded to me that he wanted Takato and Rika to fight back against him but then I felt that this was some kind of trap in which he was relying on taking advantage of their emotions.

" I'm planning on a strategy while Rika here plans to attack you head on," said Takato.

" So that is what you have managed to come up with in just a few short minutes? I was expecting the two of you to have created all kinds of plans with which to use against me for you know that I am the source of what has been ailing you ever since you first arrived in Termina. You two are nothing more than a mere joke for you aren't even able to do the simplest things that are natural to the Deku with the exception of being able to use the flowers."

Rika finally snapped herself as she charged towards the robed figure in response to that comment of his that he made, and while I tried my best to stop her from making a big mistake, I found myself being flung away by the same force that I felt last time while Rika was subjected to a burst of fire which caused her to cry out in pain.

That made Takato rush over to her so that he could put out the fire in addition to comforting her, and all I could do was watch mainly because I was being held back.

" You should have known that Dekus don't like to be around fire for they are plant-like creatures in nature which is why you my young lady should have tried to leap out of the way. Those burns are nothing for all I used was a small dose of my power so consider yourself to be lucky that it wasn't something stronger."

" That was an act of cowardice," said Takato.

" No matter what you may think of it consider it to be nothing more than mere amusement to me. I think I shall allow you all to live for the time being as you did work really hard to make it all the way here with those instruments of yours, and you need to last long enough as it is if you want to see the rest of what Termina has to offer.

" This time we saw the robed figure disappear into a puff of smoke which left all of us standing on the platform wondering as to who this character was and why he wanted to cause us so much trouble. I walked over to Rika and picked her up in order to treat the burns she had suffered, and that moment we were greeted by the other robed man whom we had first met in the Clock Tower.

He said nothing as he beckoned us to follow him back into the tower where he asked us if Takato and Rika had succeeded in acquiring the instruments.

" Why do we even need these?" asked Takato.

" The Quintuplet Horn represents the magical flow of music that exists within the Deku Scrub culture. It is an instrument given only to those among their tribe who have reached a stage of maturity that allows them to be treated as adults among others of their own kind.

There is also a secret property in that playing certain songs will enable the one using the instrument to be able to bring the magic locked within each song to life in order to aid them in times of need. I must apologize to you all in advance for not being in this place when you returned for the one whom you were fighting against just one is the one who has been causing problems all across Termina.

His reasons for doing so and what he does exactly are unknown to anyone for he has often kept to himself and refuses to allow anyone to come too close to him otherwise he would have them killed without warning. Your friend will recover from her wounds for he did not intend to kill her for he sees you all as entertainment that he can rely upon whenever he needs to have a good laugh."

" So how do we play these instruments?" asked Rika.

" Your hearts will guide you."

" Somehow, I don't think that can work," moaned Rika.

" You will see soon enough."

" What about these songs?" asked Rika.

" There are many songs that exist in Termina that contain special magic which enable them to act far beyond the limitations one has with other songs. By playing the Quintuplet Horn while performing this special song, you two will be able to revert back to your human forms thus breaking the curse that holds you in its grasp.

The song that allows one to heal the soul of another is one that has been known for many years and was even used by the one who had come along before you did. Those who have tortured souls will be set free through the power of the Song of Healing which includes the two of you in that equation for your souls have been tortured for far too long ever since you were forced to walk this world as you are."

Those words were more than enough for Takato and Rika to start playing although it did take them some time to figure out just what it was they were supposed to do. Eventually they would both succeed in playing the same song to which they both started to glow which made me wonder if what they were doing was the right thing for them to do.

Guilmon had to shield his eyes from the bright light while I did the best I could in order to see what was happening, but even my eyes could not stand the light so I had to turn away as well. This lasted for a few minutes before the light finally faded away which was a sigh of relief for me as I thought that I was going to go blind or something like that, but then I stared in awe at what I was looking at before my very eyes for what I had seen was quite surprising.

Takato and Rika were standing in front of me in their human forms which meant that they were able to break free of the evil power which had turned them into Deku Scrubs, but why were those two masks lying on the ground by their feet? Where had they come from and what could it possibly mean?

To Be Continued.

Another cliff-hanger just to keep everyone on their toes but know that this is a significant part as now Takato and Rika have regained their human forms, and something else if you recall what takes place in the game.

Once again I appreciate any and all reviews that you may have with regards to my story.


	7. Clock Town Revisited

Takato and Rika in Termina

By Ganondorf8

Clock Town Revisited

Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon, Digimon Tamers, The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, or anything else that is associated through a disclaimer. Any original characters you see (and there will be some) are copyrighted to me because that is something that I can do. (P.S: I forgot to mention this in the last chapter)

Author's Note: One of the two mystery characters is going to be revealed and it is the one who has been helping Takato and Rika so far. There is also a twist as to what kind of character this is as it is something that you would have never suspected.

Takato's POV

It felt good to be back to our old selves again and not have to worry about living the lives of Deku Scrubs, although I do have to admit that it was one of the greatest experiences of my life. It isn't often that you get to become a character that exists in a video game but at least I now know what it feels like to be given such an opportunity. Rika had been hugging herself over and over which shows that she was really happy to be back to normal as she never liked the idea of being a Deku.

I suppose that some people take things differently than others yet she did deserve to be happy knowing that we are no longer stuck as plant-like creatures as she called them. That was when I noticed that Guilmon and Renamon had been looking towards our feet which made me wonder if parts of our Deku Scrub alter-egos were still on us, so I decided to take a look for myself just to see what the fuss was all about.

Lying on the ground in front of us were a pair of masks which must have come from somewhere as we didn't see them when we came in here following that mystery character. Upon a closer look I was surprised to find that the mask was in the appearance of a Deku Scrub's head which I found to be really odd. Then something hit me which made me remember The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask for this was the same world that exists in that game.

In the game Link was able to acquire a series of masks which gave him different abilities depending on which one he was wearing at the time. Most of them were simply masks that one would wear at a costume party with three of them having the power to change their wearers into the form of the tribe that the mask was based on.

If these masks came as a result of Rika and me breaking the curse that had been inflicted upon us by the other mystery character, then does that mean that these masks contain the spirits of what we were before playing that strange song?

" I thought that I was going to stay as a Deku Scrub for the rest of my life." Rika said happily.

" You have to admit that it was a pretty fun experience," I said.

" Only someone like you would think of what we just went through as being fun," moaned Rika.

" When we have ever had the chance to become Dekus?" I asked.

" Okay, you do make a good point there goggle-head but don't let it get through to your head for as far as I am concerned, being a Deku was nothing short of a nightmare as none of this is what I was expecting when you asked me to come over to your place.

In a way I can totally blame you for all of this but then you weren't the one who dragged us into this world nor did you change us both into Dekus." Rika replied before she finally noticed the pair of masks which were lying on the ground before us. " Where did these two masks come from?"

" I think they appeared when we changed back to normal," I replied.

" Once again this world makes no sense," moaned Rika.

" But it does make sense if you are able to understand the truth that exists all around you."

" What does that mean?" asked Rika.

" These two masks that you see before you are all that remains of the forms that you used to be before you played the Song of Healing. Your souls were healed through the power of the song, and as a result the forms that you were granted through the curse that afflicted you when you first arrived in Termina have been sealed into these masks.

By donning these masks you will be able to resume your Deku Scrub forms except that this time you will be able to remove them whenever you so wish in order to resume your human forms. I must warn you however that these transformation masks are difficult to use at first for they do cause some slight pain when changing from one form to the next, but you will get used to it when you realize that you will need to rely on these new gifts.

You may think that what you once were was a nightmare, but you have done the one thing that very few people have ever managed to achieve, and that was being able to become a different creature that has a different way of existence that your current forms could never understand. Take what you have experienced as a positive for you now know what it is like to live the life of a Deku Scrub."

" You didn't have to make me feel bad you know," said Rika.

" Sometimes one needs to learn to understand how someone else lives."

" How do we know which mask belongs to who?" I asked.

" Each mask has been embroiled with your names so that you know which one goes with which person. That way you will not accidentally put on the wrong mask thus causing some kind of problem to occur all because you became the wrong form that isn't associated with you. Use these masks well for I am sure that they will be of great assistance to you with the journey that is to come."

" What journey?" I asked.

" There is a reason that the four of you have been brought to this world and such a reason does not have to do with any of accident. I am not sure as to the exact reason that you were chosen to come here, but what I can tell you is that you will need to gather up the proper supplies so that you can explore this world on your own.

The one who changed you into Deku Scrubs has been creating all kinds of problems on Termina for the last number of years, and yet no one believes that he is responsible claiming that what has been happening has been the result of the natural order of things. Suffice to say that you will need to seek him out for he may hold the key that will allow you to return to your world, and allow this one to return to a peaceful way of existence."

" Why would we want to get supplies when we have our partners with us?" asked Rika.

" No doubt that you have discovered that the devices that you carry on your person do not work in this world. This is because Termina contains a powerful form of magic that prevents magical means from beyond its borders to function here which is why I stated that you will need to rely on these masks of yours if you are to survive around here.

Your friends will need to travel around with you at all times for I know that they will not allow either of you to walk this world on your own which is why they must disguise themselves as traveling pilgrims who are to accompany you on your journey. Now that you have become humans once again you will be able to make your way through Clock Town without suffering any kind of mistreatment along the way.

The places that you could not visit as Deku Scrubs are now available to you with the majority of these places being ones that will allow you to acquire the essential equipment needed to make your way around this world. You will need to obtain swords and shields for these are the basic tools that you need for what you used in your world will be of no use to you.

Your friends will still be able to use their natural abilities although they will be forced to remain that way for they will be unable to reach their stronger levels. Once you have obtained the items that you need and have explored Clock Town to see more than what you experienced the first time, you will need to leave the safety of the town so that you can explore the world."

" Where can we go first?" I asked.

" There may be someone in town who can give you a ride to your destination but you will need to prove that you wish to go there."

" Won't people recognize us?" asked Rika.

" Your hairstyles and the goggles that your friend wears may be present on your Deku Scrub forms, but the people will not be able to see the connection thus they will treat you as though you were new in town. I suggest that you speak to those that you have spoken to before so that you can understand the differences between the various tribes.

This is of course an option in case you had a strong desire to know these differences, but if you are focused on addressing your main concern of wanting to return home to your world then proceed by all means to acquiring what you need.

Another suggestion that I must make is that you may want to change your attire for the people may find you to be strange due to the way you are dressed. I can provide you with some special armour that you can use on your journey as I have all kinds of items on my person with which to help you."

" And what about this person?" asked Rika.

" She comes from outside of town in a place where things are more peaceful than anywhere else on Termina, but again you need to prove to her that you want to accompany her back to where she lives with her younger sister otherwise she will deem that you have wasted her time.

I have never met this woman before mainly due to the fact that I rarely get to leave the Clock Tower, but I do know her name which you can use to find her when you are ready to leave Clock Town. The name of this woman is Cremia and she is one who has benefitted many people over the years with what she does for them."

" Before any of us do anything else, I believe the time has come for you to reveal your identity to us," began Renamon.

" So you have figured out the truth then?"

" The letter that you left behind for us to find was written in a language known only to those who come from the world that Guilmon and I are from...the Digital World. No one from this world would have knowledge of where we come from unless you happen to be someone who has been there before, or you happen to be a Digimon yourself who has existed long enough to know the ancient language," replied Renamon.

" I had hoped that you would have figured out my identity before leaving on your journey."

" So who are you?" asked Renamon.

" My name is Yamataromon and I have lived here in this world for many years as a secluded figure who has spent most of his time here in the Clock Tower."

" I've never heard of you before," said Rika.

" That's because Rika he is an ancient Digimon who existed during the early beginnings of the Digital World long before any of us came into existence. It is said that Yamataromon was a Mega level Digimon who wielded one of the strongest powers among our kind, but was known to be a recluse who rarely made his presence known other than to resolve some kind of issue.

He disappeared from the Digital World one day taking his legacy with him and over time he became a folklore legend among the rest of the Digimon," said Renamon.

" But how can a Digimon exist in a video game?" asked Rika.

" You know that this world is real so there is no need to make the claim that this is just a world comprised of data," replied Yamataromon.

" I keep forgetting," sighed Rika.

" This world contains other Digimon aside from myself yet there are few of us in number, and we have all kept to ourselves knowing that the people of Termina would not understand what we are. Among all of us who exist here I am the only one who is willing to assist the humans and other tribes in any way I can while the rest show nothing but hostility towards them wanting to be left alone.

They are just as strong as I am with one of them being even stronger although he has been missing for a long time. I would not allow any of that to cause you any concern so long as you remain true to what you have been doing all your lives.

Now you know that there is one Digimon aside from those whom you call partners who is on your side, and I will do all that I can in order to aid you but do know that there will be times where I will be unable to do anything thus you will need to rely on your own skills in order to survive," said Yamataromon.

" Where should we go in order to get supplies?" I asked.

" You can buy shields in one of the shops on the west side of Clock Town but you will need to acquire some rupees if you are to purchase them for they are rather expensive," replied Yamataromon.

" And what about swords?" I asked.

" There is one person in Clock Town who can supply you with swords for he trains people in the use of them so that they can become stronger swordfighters. You will need to prove to him that you can handle using swords for you will not be able to leave this town as you are without having a sword on hand.

The guards will see you as children and force you to go back to your parents due to the dangers that exist beyond the town's walls, but if you show them that you have swords then they will see you as adults and allow you to make your way out to the rest of Termina," replied Yamataromon.

" That is rather pointless when we will be traveling with some woman named Cremia," moaned Rika.

" She has to exit through one of the four entrances and the guards do check all those who come and go from town," said Yamataromon.

" So that means we have to show them some swords either way," said Rika.

" Where does this swordsman live?" I asked.

" He owns the Swordsman School that exists in West Clock Town which means that you will be spending plenty of time there," replied Yamataromon. We would soon say our goodbyes to this Digimon before Rika and I would return to Clock Town in order to acquire what we need if we were going to leave the town. Guilmon and Renamon had been given strange robes which allowed them to pass off as pilgrims although in my opinion they kind of resemble ancient druids that one sees in those history programs.

Rika and I had changed into the armour that Yamataromon had given us by simply placing it on top of our regular clothes so that we could walk around town without drawing the attention of anyone. Clock Town didn't have the same impact that it gave when we first gazed upon it, but that was when we knew nothing about it and we were both stuck as Deku Scrubs.

Our experiences this time were going to be different as now we were exploring the town as humans and not Dekus which still gave Rika a sigh of relief, and we made sure to keep our "Deku Masks" close to us in the case that we need to change into our alter-egos although Rika wasn't exactly looking forward to doing that.

We walked out of the Clock Tower in the same fashion that we used the last time and standing nearby issuing orders to his workforce was Mutoh who seemed to be really stressed out about something. I suggested that we should speak to him in order to find out more about where we had to go, and Rika agreed that this was a good idea so long as we didn't mention anything about speaking to him earlier as Deku Scrubs.

" You two kids look as though you are planning on fighting," commented Mutoh.

" We are planning on going outside of town in order to experience some great adventures," I said.

" Before you can do that you need to get yourselves some swords as there are some very strong monsters that live out there," said Mutoh.

" We were told by a friend that the Swordsman's School can help us out in that department," I said.

" That place is very famous for training young warriors in the way of the sword, and the owner has recently become generous by allowing people to walk away with swords provided that they are able to pass his test. By providing that extra bonus he has allowed Clock Town to become stocked with extra swords as this place used to be scarce when it came down to being able to purchase a blade of your own.

Back in the day he used to have a simpler test that involved cutting down logs in succession although this test proved to be too easy when a certain young fellow managed to complete it with no trouble. Now the test has become one that focuses on one's own desire to wield a sword and using it in a dangerous situation, and many have agreed that this test is a lot harder than what the old one was like.

If you want my opinion you two should think about doing something else with your lives as you don't look like the kind who could use swords," said Mutoh.

" There is no harm in trying right?" I asked.

" I suppose that's true but again I do think that you should try something else," replied Mutoh.

" When does the school open?" I asked.

" The Swordsman's School should be open right about now as the sun is already starting to come up and many places around here open as soon as dawn breaks. The school can be found in West Clock Town right next to the Post Office so it shouldn't be too difficult for you to miss it," replied Mutoh.

" Now I have a question for you," began Rika.

" I've been getting bombarded with questions for the last half a day coming from the two of you and two Deku Scrubs who came to me for some advice," said Mutoh. That made me gulp rather heavily due to the fact that the Dekus that Mutoh had spoken to earlier were Rika and me, but at least he doesn't see the connection that exists otherwise we would be in big trouble.

I was thinking about what Mutoh and his men were doing but then I realized it wasn't that important as we needed to leave town soon, and also because I already knew what they were doing thanks to my playing the game.

" Do you know anyone by the name of Cremia?" asked Rika.

" She own Romani Ranch that exists in the southwest corner of Termina and lives there with her younger sister Romani, along with a couple of other people who call that place home. Cremia comes here every few days in order to deliver the ranches famous Chateau Romani in addition to regular milk to the Milk Bar that exists on the east side of town. People go there just so that they can have a drink of Chateau Romani for they say that drinking it will give you an incredible feeling that you can't get any other way.

Only members are allowed in the Milk Bar when it officially opens for business although it is known that Cremia has connections which allow people to gain a membership provided that they can do her a certain favour. She won't be by this way until sometime in the early hours of the evening, so if you're looking for her then you'll be waiting all day but at least you have plenty of time to go to the Swordsman's School," replied Mutoh.

We both thanked him for his information before making our way into West Clock Town which looked a lot different during the day as opposed to the night. We passed by the Deku Flower belonging to Rare Deku and just as I was about to give him a greeting, Rika pulled me aside and gave me quite the serious talk when she reminded me that we spoke to him as Deku Scrubs and not as humans.

Soon we ended up at the entrance to the school which didn't really look like much, but we decided to go in any way as there was no other way we could get ourselves some swords. Guilmon and Renamon chose to stay outside so that they could keep an eye on things while Rika and I attended to business inside.

" It doesn't look like much," commented Rika.

" But it's different from what it was like in the game," I said.

" So far everything has been different so why even bother referring to that game," moaned Rika.

" I figured it could be helpful," I said.

" You are such a goggle-brain!" moaned Rika.

" Welcome to the Swordsman School brave warriors!" We both turned around and sitting down at the far end of the room was a man who looked as though he were some kind of desert traveller as opposed to being the owner of a sword-themed dojo. But then I was in no position to make any kind of comment towards him as we needed to get some swords if we were going to be leaving Clock Town with Cremia.

" You two seem to be very surprised by the nature of this place, but do not feel any signs of intimidation for even surrounding like these can be easy to get accustomed to if you know what you are doing. I take it that the reason you are here is that you wish to be trained in the way of the sword?"

" That and also getting our hands on the majestic weapon," I replied.

" You both possess a strong determination to wanting swords of your own, and so I shall allow you to have the chance to be able to earn what you seek. I do not just give swords away to people for they must first learn how to use one properly otherwise it will be wasted and they could wind up getting hurt by their own foolish pride.

Since you two appear to have no actual experience in using a sword then I shall teach you personally on how to use one so that you can attempt my test to see if you are worthy. The test usually costs 20 rupees per attempt but since you two are new to my school I shall allow you to have your first three attempts at my test free of charge, but you must pay the fee starting from your fourth attempt and onwards."

" That seems fair," I said.

" But I should warn you that my training is very strict and many have wound up becoming nothing more than quivering moulds of jelly."

" That sounds reassuring," sighed Rika.

" Your training shall begin at once for you must learn the basics quickly if you wish to pass my test thus earning yourselves the swords that you require. There is no need for you to go and obtain shields for in this school such items of protection are not needed for a warrior must be able to rely on his own body for strength.

These two swords that I have here were designed for training purposes and so this is what you shall be using during the duration of your training. I do not want to hear any crying for you must first walk before you can run otherwise you will end up failing in the end. We shall begin with the basic sword strokes before moving onto the targets with which you will be using to practice on before you have to perform the test."

" What kind of test is it?" asked Rika.

" One where you have to go up against a fellow student"

" Then that means..." Rika and I suddenly stared at one another when we both realized that we were both students of the school which meant that we had to face each other in order to pass the test. No wonder Mutoh said that this test was difficult as it involved going up against someone else, and in our case we know each other very well which makes it all the more difficult. I guess Rika was right about this world being different from what the game provides.

To Be Continued.

Second Author's Note: Yamataromon was the name of another Digimon that I created a long time ago for another story, but I figured that I would recreate him in a different role than what he had originally. He is an original character by the way just to make sure that you don't end up trying to figure out where he comes from. Also, the owner of the school does not have a name in Majora's Mask but I will just refer to him as someone who is speaking without providing the "said (insert name here)" motion.


	8. I am Cremia

Takato and Rika in Termina

By Ganondorf8

I am Cremia

Author's Note: This chapter is in Rika's perspective as only she and Takato are in the Swordsman's School at this point. Also, I do make a reference to the Super Mario Bros. at one point as well and it is an easy one to spot if you remember the game well enough.

Disclaimer: Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon, Digimon Tamers, The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, or anything else that is associated through a disclaimer. Any original characters you see (and there will be some) are copyrighted to me because that is something that I can do.

Rika's POV

" You want us to fight each other?" I asked.

" By doing so you will be able to test the skills of one another in order to make yourselves stronger and allowing yourselves to get used to the ways of the sword."

" Then why have two people take part in your training when it is obvious that they are going to be facing each other in the end?" I asked.

" One person alone cannot take part in the final test for they will have no opponent with which to face. That is why I decided to train two people at the same time so that they could use what they have learned against their fellow students as a means of giving them one last practice before they venture forth into the real world.

Long ago I used to train students on their own and logs were designed to be used as targets that each student would need to shatter using what I teach them. One young boy was able to put that test to shame which is the main reason why I changed things here in the Swordsman School in order to improve on what had already been done. If you wish to be able to fight using the sword then you must pass my test otherwise you may not be able to go where your hearts desired."

" Takato...I...I wasn't expecting this to happen," I cried.

" We have no other choice but to fight one another Rika if we are going to be getting our own swords," said Takato.

" Then why didn't Yamataromon mention that there would be difficult situations?" I asked.

" Maybe he felt that it was best that he didn't tell us so that we would face them on our own without having to worry about any of it. We've been through experiences like these before Rika when we first started out as tamers and beyond that, so why would the thought of fighting one another be any different? I don't like the idea of doing this any better than you do but what other choice do we have to use? None which is why this has to happen so that we can leave the safety of Clock Town and explore Termina," replied Takato.

Goggle-head did make a lot of sense even for him which made me realize that we had to fight one another in order to pass the test presented to us by the head of this school. He is the only one in town who provides swords to those who want them, and if we want swords of our own then we have to follow what this guy is telling us.

Besides, deep down in my heart I've always wanted to fight Takato just because of all those times when he got on my nerves to the point where I wanted to knock the stuffing out of him. At the same time my heart was telling not to fight him as he appreciates my feelings, but I had to do what I could to get my hands on a sword so I allowed my mind to guide me through this ordeal leaving my heart to watch from the shadows.

Our training soon got underway where Takato and I practiced every known style of swordplay that the head knew about so that we could ready ourselves for his test. He made us slice apart logs in different ways within a certain time limit and while at first I thought that this was a waste of time, he made me realize that these logs represented the monsters that exist in Termina and that by slicing these logs up we can hold our own against the monsters.

Thanks to my daily training I was able to master the various styles with no effort which left the head very impressed with my skills, but goggle-head on the other hand took a lot longer to complete the exact same training due to his more carefree lifestyle. I told him that he and Guilmon needed to lay off the video games and go about a rigorous training program like what Renamon and I do, and I hope that this experience will finally get him to understand my way of thinking for a change.

" I'm already finished with the practices and here you are still going at it," I said.

" This isn't as easy as it looks you know," said Takato.

" If you had been training like me then you would have finished at the exact same time that I did," I said trying hard not to laugh at him.

" Okay, so you were right about all that training!" sighed Takato and his reaction made me laugh on the inside as a part of me wanted to see him suffer, but then that emotion was replaced with one of concern for if he wasn't ready to face me in the heat of battle then neither of us would be getting anywhere.

My thought was to try and make things easy for Takato so that we would be on equal footing, but then I knew that would be an act of dishonour which is forbidden in a place like this. Eventually he finished his practice although he looked as though he was ready to fall down and sleep for a few weeks while I was ready to get the test over with.

I guess our lifestyles don't exactly match up with me wanting to prepare for any kind of fight while Takato was more interested in playing his video games. He has been impressing me with what he knows about this world due to playing the game on a regular basis, so maybe there are some advantages to knowing a guy like him.

" Your training has now concluded."

" But it hasn't even been close to an hour," said Takato.

" That is because the practice sessions can be accomplished within a few minutes although this time it took much longer to reach this point due to you having taken so long. You my young man are ready to sleep for a long period of time which is why you should train more often so that you do not become weak unlike your friend here who has the ferocity of a tiger."

I didn't know whether to thank him or hurt him based on what he just said to me. " We shall take a ten minute break before the two of you are to fight against each other for your final test."

" We don't exactly have to spend the rest of the day here you know," I moaned.

" It just feels weird that we got through all that training within the span of an hour, and we still have much of the day left over before we are to meet with Cremia," said Takato.

" Do we even know what she looks like?" I asked.

" In Majora's Mask she resembles the adult version of Malon from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time so it shouldn't be too difficult to find her among all these people. Yamataromon said that she delivers milk from her ranch every few days, and I am willing to believe that she carries her supplies in some kind of cart as how else would she be able to bring them all the way here? All we need to do is find someone riding on a milk cart and we'll be on our way out of town," replied Takato.

" Once again you are a goggle-head," I sighed.

" Now what did I do?" asked Takato.

" This world is totally different from the one that you saw in your game which means what you just said may not even be correct," I replied.

" But what Mutoh told us before we came here was true," said Takato.

" That's because he is a character of this world which is real and not the one that comes from your game," I shouted.

" Does this mean that you finally accept this world as being real?" asked Takato. He actually had me there as up until now I have always believed that this world was just a video game that we were all pulled into back when we were sitting around in Takato's room.

After being exposed to so many things that usually happen inside of a video game, I now realize that Termina is a real world and that what we've experienced is also real and not a dream as I had first assumed when I tried to pinch my butt. What Yamataromon had been saying to us all this time was all true and I was just too foolish to believe any of it as my pride ended up getting in the way of the truth.

For a Digimon who has existed since the beginning of the Digital World he certainly knows how to make people see the truth all around them, and I wonder if he knew that we were tamers from the very beginning despite not having seen any humans in his world prior to his departure.

As I was about to tell Takato that I believed that this was all real, the head of the Swordsman School had finished the preparations for our final test...which really wasn't all that much as all he did was remove the debris left over from our practice and set up some kind of boundary to which neither of us had any idea on what it was meant for.

" Your final test now begins for you have had enough time to rest."

" So how does this work?" asked Takato.

" The two of you shall fight within the boundary that I have created for a few minutes so that you can put all that you have learned to the test against a real opponent. These logs that you have slashed to pieces represented what you will be facing outside of Clock Town, but they were inanimate objects that were not capable of fighting back at you which is why you must fight against one who is capable of fighting."

" I thought that we were going to be doing this all day," said Takato.

" You two are still students in my school and for that your final test must be restricted in a way so that neither of you will end up getting hurt. Once you start fighting against the monsters that exist in Termina you will realize that they will show no mercy and that these restrictions placed upon you will play no factor. The time for talking is over as now you must fight one another if you wish to earn swords as well as the right to be able to use them."

The head then banged a small gong that he had by his side and our battle against one another started with Takato still not fully recovered from the training. He must really be lacking exercise as I feel just fine while he looks as though he isn't able to put up any kind of defence, but I knew that I had to be serious so I couldn't afford to make it easy for him.

Our swords clashed with one another and I pressed on the attack by using a barrage of quick sword strokes which forced Takato to try to deflect as many of them as possible, but then I started to see that despite his condition he was trying his best to get through this ordeal so maybe Takato is ready for this far more than what I had believed. But I couldn't take any kind of chance knowing what was on the line so I continued my assault against him.

Goggle-head began to get better with every swing of his sword and the blood within me began to boil as this was just the kind of thing that I wanted to get out of my system. We continued to fight against each other using some fancy movements in order to avoid one another's attacks while at the same performing some very impressive attacks of our own.

Our master if you want to call him that was watching the entire proceeding for our fate was in his hands, and just as we were about to take our game up to the next level, he banged the gong again before saying enough which meant that this fight had come to an end. I was hoping that it could have lasted a bit longer as I was just getting started but then he did say that this was going to last a few minutes which it did.

" I have seen all that I needed to see and I am happy to say that the two of you have passed my test so now you are fully qualified in the ways of the sword. As a reward for completing my test I shall grant you the swords that you have been using since we began for you have become attached to them."

" Thank you for the training," said Takato.

" Since I know that you two plan on traveling around Termina by leaving Clock Town, you will need to acquire shields if you truly wish to fight the monsters that roam around this land. The Community Post that is just down the road will house what you need although I recommend that you bring much in the way of money for shields are not cheap unlike other items that are carried there."

Once again we said our thanks and left the sword placing our newly acquired swords in the scabbards that the head had given to us as a parting gift. The Community Post was indeed further down the road like he said but we had to stop off at the bank in order to get out enough money for us to buy two shields for both of us.

The guy in charge of the bank instantly recognized us thanks to our hands having been stamped when we were by this way the other night, and that really creeped me out as that meant that he knew that we were the two Deku Scrubs who came by his place the other day with that large amount of cash. Takato decided to remain outside while I take care of business inside and also because he wanted to make sure that our Digimon hadn't gotten into any kind of trouble while we were in the Swordsman School.

At least this shop was roomier than the Curiosity Shop so I was able to walk right up to the counter without having to collide into anything along the way, and that was when I came to a halt when I realized that the owner of this shop looked exactly the same as the Curiosity Shop Man...except he had hair and wasn't wearing sunglasses.

" It's not often that I get a female customer around these parts," said the owner.

" And I wonder why?" I asked.

" Most of what I sell around here are designed for the male consumer although I have no problems selling these things to females as we're all in the same line of work as it is. Judging from that sword that you have there in its scabbard that you have just recently graduated from the Swordsman School, and now you wish to buy yourself a shield in order to be fully ready for your adventures," replied the owner.

" How did you know?" I asked.

" I've had a lot of customers coming in here as of late who first went to that school so I'm no longer surprised whenever I see the face of a new adventurer. I only carry the one kind of shield here in my store so I'm afraid that if you were looking for something a little more fancy, you will have to be disappointed because shields aren't what you consider a demanded item among the public," replied the owner.

" I don't mind as long as I can get what I need," I smiled.

" The shield that I have in stock is made from some of the strongest metal that exists in Termina, and it was designed for young people like yourself to use so you'll have no trouble holding this on your arm. A long time ago I did use to sell a much larger shield that was designed to have more protection, but it proved to be nothing but a problem as only the biggest of individuals were able to hold it normally while others like you had to carry it on their back as though it were some kind of shell.

Anyway, the price of my shields aren't cheap for they are hard to come by again due to the lack of demand, but I am sure that you will buy one for yourself as you need one if you plan on leaving

town," said the owner.

" Actually, I need two," I began.

" Why two?" asked the owner.

" My friend also graduated from the Swordsman School and he needs a shield as well," I replied.

" In that case then you will need to have plenty of rupees if you want to pay for two shields instead of just the one. The price for one shield is 80 rupees and so you need a total of 160 rupees if you wish to buy one for your friend and one for yourself," said the owner. It was fortunate that I was able to get those 1200 rupees during that deal with Rare Deku otherwise Takato and I would have been short-handed on change.

I handed over the money and obtained two shields in return; they were rather light despite being made of metal and wood but at least we were able to get our hands on them. That's when I decided to ask him a question which caught him by surprise as usually his customers just buy what they need and leave without saying anything.

I asked him if he knew anything about Cremia and he said that she was to deliver a fresh supply of milk to the Milk Bar on the east side of town sometime late in the afternoon just as the sun goes down. He said that she is a beautiful woman who wears the strangest brooch he had ever seen which resembled some kind of turtle man, and that was when I realized that the brooch would be our way of knowing just who she was.

I thanked him for the information and walked back out into the street where Takato had been keeping Guilmon and Renamon busy while I did the shopping. We all then made our way over to the east side of town where the Milk Bar was located and we attempted to get inside only to find that the door was closed.

" Members only."

" What members?" I asked.

" Without the proper means of membership I am afraid that you cannot enter."

" Well then can you answer a question," I began.

" What is it?"

" Do you know when Cremia is going to show up?" I asked.

" You have business with her?"

" We need to hitch a ride with her," I replied.

" She'll be here sometime after the sun has gone down and that won't be for a few hours so I suggest to you that you should wait around this area for a while." As much as it pained me to admit it, this guy was right in that we had to waste the rest of the day just sitting around waiting for this Cremia to arrive with her delivery. Now I understand why Takato complained about our training have taken not enough time as this kind of waiting is enough to make anyone feel really cranky after a while.

The hours would pass by slowly as the sun was finally going down indicating that nightfall had just started, and yet we still had to wait for her to arrive as her delivery would take some time for her to make her way from the ranch all the way to the Milk Bar. Takato and Guilmon had since fallen asleep due to not being able to stay awake, and as I stared at Takato in order to see if he was okay, a smile came across my lips when I realized that he was a really good friend for being there to understand how I felt about all that has happened to us.

Perhaps there is more to our friendship than either of us realize, but I couldn't think about it now as a strange cart was pulling up towards the Milk Bar before coming to a stop just a few feet away from the front door. This must be the milk cart that we've been hearing so much about, and stepping off of the cart was a young woman with red coloured hair and around her neck was a brooch that resembled the head of Bowser of Super Mario Bros. fame which means that this must be Cremia.

She quickly delivered her supply of milk to the Milk Bar which took only a couple of minutes and just as she was about to leave to make her way back to the ranch, she noticed the four of us sitting nearby which prompted her to come over and see us.

" What are you four doing sitting here?"

" We have been waiting for a woman named Cremia to come along as we need to speak to her," I replied.

" I am Cremia!"

" So you're the one that we have been hearing about?" I asked.

" I'm not what you would call famous as all I ever do is deliver fresh milk to the Milk Bar every few days or so in order for their supply to maintain its consistency. Then again, I do own Romani Ranch so in a way I do have that "famous" quality that makes people around here want to think about me. So you wish to speak to me about something do you?

I do have a free moment to listen to what you have to say but please do not make it too long otherwise I will be forced to leave you in the middle of your conversation," replied Cremia. I then introduced ourselves without revealing our true identities before explaining to her about all that we have experienced making sure not to bring up anything that has to do with our not being from this world, and also making sure not to mention that Takato and I had the ability to change into Deku Scrubs.

Cremia felt intrigued by our story and listened to every last portion of it before speaking again. " It sounds to me like you two wish to explore the world of Termina in order to make names for yourselves. I've seen many people do that kind of thing all the time yet they never seen to have the proper equipment on hand with which to begin their journey. You two have swords and shields which are a good start as that will allow you to leave Clock Town with me when the guards check my cart again, but you could do with some additional items if you really want to get off to an amazing start.

I shall take you with me to Romani Ranch where I can provide you with some extra essentials as you four could really do with some more items to help you as Termina is filled with many different kinds of places that require the right kind of equipment."

" Are you sure that you want four complete strangers to come with you?" I asked.

" We can all get to know each other while we head back to the ranch," replied Cremia.

" That's sounds like a really good idea," I smiled.

" Actually, I'm glad that you four are accompanying me back home as I have to ride through a very dangerous area on the Milk Road that connects Termina Field to Romani Ranch. Over the years my cart has been attacked by a pair of bandits whose only purpose is to make sure that I fail in my deliveries, and it's because of them that I've had to make deliveries every few days as opposed to once a week like I used to.

Normally they attack my cart when I leave the ranch to make my way here, but since I am also taking back a supply of milk for those who live at the ranch with me, they will attack again in order to prevent me from making it back with the milk in tow. I was wondering if I could count on the four of you to protect the cart while we ride through that particular stretch of road," said Cremia.

" How will we be able to drive them away?" I asked.

" You need to use bows and arrows if you want to hold them back, and luckily I have a pair of bows and a large stack of arrows in the back of the cart," replied Cremia.

" Then consider us under your employ," I said.

To Be Continued.

Second Author's Note: For those of you who remember the journey from Romani Ranch to Clock Town during the point in the game where you help Cremia, the same thing is going to happen except that it will be done backwards and will feature different characters. As always I appreciate your feedback on my story so far.


	9. They Are Coming

Takato and Rika in Termina

By Ganondorf8

"They" Are Coming

Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon, Digimon Tamers, The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, or anything else that is associated through a disclaimer. Any original characters you see (and there will be some) are copyrighted to me because that is something that I can do.

Author's Note: You'll understand what the "they" in the title means once you have read through the entire chapter. Also there is another new original character who shows up towards the end and you will be surprised as to which tribe he belongs to. Finally there are a few references to The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask including one that relates to Link directly.

Guilmon's POV

I have never ridden on a cart before as the Digital World has never featured such vehicles, but then I found this to be a very pleasant trip despite what had just been said prior to leaving. This Cremia person said that she gets attacked by bandits every time she makes a delivery to Clock Town, but what I don't understand is why doesn't she have some kind of escort helping her?

Takato told me that because Romani Ranch is located in the far south-west corner of Termina, no one from Clock Town is capable of making the journey in order to help out as it is too far away and that they do have their own duties to take care of. Just thinking about bandits made my eyes glow in their usual manner which made Cremia ask as to why my eyes do that, and Takato had to make up some kind of weird excuse in order to keep our true cover a secret.

We had finally left Clock Town and got a first-hand look at what Termina Field looked like, and all of us were in awe aside from Cremia as she had seen these surroundings plenty of times in the past. There was a large mountain range covered in snow to the north of us, a strange valley with some kind of stone structure sticking out to the east, a beautiful beach next to a clear-crisp ocean to the west, and finally a large forest complete with a purple coloured mountain to the south which is where we were being taken.

I never knew that Termina featured so many different kinds of environments; it made me think about the Digital World as my world features similar environments although more spaced out than this. Rika and Renamon were busy in the back of the cart preparing for the time where she and Takato would have to take care of the bandits, yet my tamer was busy talking to Cremia about things that I didn't even understand as though he were speaking in some kind of language that made no sense.

I would have thought that he would be preparing for those evil people as well rather than just talk away about this world. I guess Takato just has different ways of making himself stronger as opposed to what Rika does in the same fashion.

" Judging from your reactions to the field it looks as though none of you have ever seen it before," commented Cremia.

" We have seen Termina Field before but this is the first time that we've seen it in person," said Takato.

" So you have never been outside of Clock Town before? That makes a lot of sense as the field houses many evil creatures that make certain kind of travel dangerous. You probably think that I must be lucky to have avoided the creatures that roam about these lands, but to be honest I have been delayed by their antics which is why I decided a long time ago that I had to make my deliveries even earlier than what I used to do.

A long time ago you would have never seen the likes of these creatures as Termina was going through a much different existence than what you see today, yet over time the creatures started to show up in all regions and we of the tribes have done our part to get used to the idea that our world is also their world for we all live together on the same chunk of land mass," said Cremia.

" What kinds of creatures live out on the field?" asked Takato.

" The field is littered with Chu Chus of various colours for they made this area their home, yet they are not really a problem as they are easy enough to deal with although they have a strong tendency to regenerate if they happen to have been sliced to pieces. Once you start to make your way into one of the four regions then the creatures begin to get worse which is when you need to be careful otherwise you could fall foul to any one of them.

Rarely do people travel this world at night for that is when the true creatures come out, but as you know I have to make my deliveries at night so I have to handle the ones that can only be spotted when the sun has gone down. Once you get used to the creatures it isn't that bad but it does become quite an inconvenience from time to time.

The region that we are heading to right now is known as Woodfall when you combine all of the areas together that exist in the region. It is where the Deku Scrubs call home for they live deep with the swamp and forest combined land, and those who live among the other tribes have never been able to make their way through in order to see the Deku Palace.

The Dekus are very serious about their territory and don't appreciate other beings walking around what they claim to be theirs," replied Cremia. Hearing her mention that made Takato and Rika feel uneasy for they had the ability to change into Deku Scrubs thanks to the masks that they received when they changed back to their human selves. To think that the Dekus were like that made them both wonder if they were going to be along similar lines all because they have an indirect relationship with the tribe.

" Do we need to go through their land in order to reach the ranch?" asked Takato.

" The Milk Road is located to the south-west of Termina so we will be heading to the west as soon as we are within range of Woodfall," replied Cremia.

" It makes me wonder if the Dekus actually decide to make the trip to see the ranch," said Takato.

" Even though Romani Ranch lies just a short while away from Woodfall, the Dekus have never actually been on the ranch itself for they refuse to leave the safety of their territory for even a second. They have a strange relationship with the other tribes that revolve around them changing their allegiances every now and again in order to get the most benefit out of it. That is why the other tribes for the most part see Deku Scrubs in a negative fashion all because of how they behave towards the rest of us.

In fact, the only Dekus people trust more than the rest of them are the ones who are involved with the trade business because these Business Scrubs as they are called have proven to be reliable when it comes to wanting various goods.

None of them have ever made their way to the ranch as they wouldn't be able to make much in the way of business due to how few people live around there, which is why I have gone to them from time to time in order to make the right kind of deals," said Cremia.

" I can't believe I'm hearing all this," muttered Rika.

" Is something wrong?" asked Renamon.

" Just when I thought that I had finally understood everything about the Deku Scrubs, this woman comes along and adds more information that makes me want to question them even more," replied Rika.

" That isn't usually like you," said Renamon.

" I know but ever since goggle-head and I first became Deku Scrubs thanks to that guy who we know nothing about, I've been wanting to know as much as possible about the tribe if the two are of us are going to be assuming our other forms whenever we use these masks.

Hearing all of that made me realize why Dekus are treated so badly and it's because they have inflicted these tensions upon themselves! I know I didn't get quite as far in the game as Takato, but then who needs a game when it's so obvious that the Dekus have problems," said Rika.

" I think that it has more to do with their survival than anything else," said Renamon.

" You might be right about that for if I were living among them as one of their own I'd do whatever it took to ensure that the tribe survived at all costs," said Rika.

" Maybe you should go ask the king," I began.

" What king?" asked Rika. She was right about not having played through The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask as much as Takato as she had no idea as to what I was talking about, and this actually surprised me as Rika was the sort of person who knew quite a lot and often had to explain everything so that the rest of us could understand.

" The Deku King," I replied.

" Who is that?" asked Rika.

" The Deku King is the ruler of the Deku Scrubs in Woodfall and they show him a great deal of respect. It is well known that the king shows signs of poor judgment as he has made decisions that are controversial at best, but his subjects still see him as their leader despite his many faults.

The Deku King has only the one child known as the Deku Princess and she has a much better sense of what to do in certain situations than her father does which has made the tribe wonder if she should assume leadership," replied Cremia.

" How would you know about that if the Dekus haven't left Woodfall?" asked Rika.

" Word tends to spread around about these sort of things," replied Cremia. That was when Rika decided to moan before resuming what she was doing before she got involved with the conversation. After much talking about other things that have to do with Termina, the cart arrived in the place called Milk Road and it wasn't what I was expecting that's for sure.

I thought that the road would be made of milk hence the name it was given but then I was informed by Takato that Milk Road was just the name to show that this pathway connected Romani Ranch to the rest of Termina through the field.

That made me disappointed as I was hoping to have tasted the Milk Road but Cremia said that she would give us some milk when we arrived at the ranch, but first we had to make it through the area where she is usually attacked by those bandits she told us about. " For a long time I never knew who it was that was attacking my deliveries, but now I have learned the truth as to who it has been."

" What kind of area is this?" asked Rika.

" This is the Gormon Race Track where the two brothers make their business," replied Takato.

" I take it that this is something that I didn't reach?" asked Rika.

" Think of it as receiving some spoilers although it will be different in the actual experience," replied Takato.

" Cremia, you don't look good," said Rika.

" The Gormon Brothers are the ones who have been attacking my cart whenever I have to make a delivery for they want to make sure that I don't arrive in Clock Town with a single container intact. Those two have always been causing trouble for Romani Ranch by passing around false rumours, to attacking me while on my deliveries, to even going so far as to steal our horses and cattle just so they can ruin us," said Cremia.

" If we were able to we could take care of those two for good," said Rika.

" This cart wasn't designed for anything to do with combat so all I can do is ride through this area quickly in the hopes of making it back to the ranch. The four of you are my passengers which mean that the brothers will attack you as well because they will think that you are aiding me which does happen to be the case.

That is why I had to ask if you wanted to help me get back to the ranch safely for to make it back in one piece we have to ride through their territory," said Cremia.

" And like I said to you before we are going to help you," smiled Rika.

" You and your friend will need to use those bows and arrows in order to slow them down so that they are not able to damage a single container. Your other two companions are merely pilgrims and I don't wish for either of them to be hurt so they will need to find shelter among what I have back there.

I will be riding through this area as fast as my horse can move so do expect things to get really rough." Cremia said as she urged her horse to pick up speed and make its way through the race track as fast as possible. At first nothing was happening which made all of us wonder if Cremia was maybe making up the story that she gets attacked by bandits, but we soon changed our tune when we saw two masked riders armed with pitch-forks riding up behind us.

These must be the Gormon Brothers that Cremia and Takato were talking and they were serious about wanting to stop us from making it to the ranch intact. I wanted to fight against them as did Renamon for she had an itch that she wanted to scratch, but our tamers told us that we couldn't do that otherwise Cremia would know what we really are.

Takato and Rika aimed the bows at the two brothers and began to fire arrows in the hopes that they could drive them back, but the problem was that neither of them have ever used bows before which made it difficult for them to hit their targets.

As always Rika was able to get herself adjusted to what she was doing and was beginning to push one of the brothers back, but the other was getting closer and just as he was about to strike one of the containers, Takato was able to get himself going and forced the brother back with a series of arrows.

" How long are they going to keep this up?" asked Rika.

" They'll keep on going under either all of the milk containers have been shattered, or we have reached the other end of their racetrack," replied Takato.

" Well I hope that we can reach the end of the track soon as we're starting to run out of arrows already," said Rika.

" How can that be?" asked Takato.

" We used many of them trying to hit them whilst having no experience in using a bow so I think it should be obvious to you as to where they've gone. I know that we are unable to have Guilmon and Renamon digivolve due to the magic barrier that covers this world in a veil, but that doesn't mean that they aren't capable of doing what they do best as they currently are.

Look Takato, I know that we told them to stay hidden because of the fear of being discovered by Cremia, but we're running out of arrows and we need to drive the Gormon Brothers back before they can do any kind of damage. Besides, since our Digimon are wearing those robes that make them appear as ordinary travelers, we can give those brothers quite the surprise without anyone even realizing what's happening," replied Rika.

" Is there any other option?" asked Takato.

" Not unless you are willing to explain to Cremia as to how her containers were smashed," replied Rika. Takato had no choice but to allow me to fight so long as I made sure not to allow myself to be revealed for the people of Termina aren't aware of what Renamon and I are. I made my way over to the corner of the cart and stuck my head out between the folds of the cloth-like structure that kept us warm and I saw the Gormon Brothers coming towards us yet again.

For a moment it looked as though they were about to trample right over the cart when I decided to finally use one of my attacks as I had been meaning to do something like that ever since we first arrived, but when I used my fiery breath it came out a lot differently than normal which made me wonder if something had gone wrong.

" That was different," commented Takato.

" Since when could Guilmon do that?" asked Rika. I couldn't even answer that question for I had no idea as to how I was able to unleash a giant wall of fire that fell from the sky and almost roasted the Gormon Brothers on the spot, and Rika decided to see if Renamon had received any changes as well just to be on the safe side.

Renamon made her way to the roof for she needed plenty of room in order to use her Diamond Storm attack, but her attack also came out differently for instead of a large number of needle-like projectiles, her attack consisted of a tornado that appeared from out of nowhere and was filled with diamond like objects that were capable of cutting.

Either way this strange occurrence caused the Gormon Brothers to fall back for good as they had no idea as to what had just taken place on their track, and it made Renamon and me wonder as to what has happened to us for Termina has done something to our bodies which has caused us to use different attacks.

Eventually we managed to make it to the end of the Gormon Race Track and Cremia was excited to see that her containers of milk had all survived, but then she was wondering as to why she could smell brimstone which made us have to come up with yet another excuse just so that we could avoid the issue.

" We have arrived," began Cremia.

" Where?" asked Rika.

" I wish to welcome all of you to Romani Ranch where my sister, our friends, and I call home. It may not be that much but know that we all like living around here as we live quiet peaceful lives without having to worry about any problems...with the exception of that one problem that gets us every year," replied Cremia.

" What problem?" asked Rika.

" Did you see them building the Carnival of Time back in Clock Town?" asked Cremia.

" What about it?" asked Rika.

" At this time of the year strange things occur at Romani Ranch to which we have no control over them. These strange alien-like beings descend upon the ranch in order to abduct our cows for reasons unknown, and they have managed to succeed every year with the exception of one when we had the help of "Grasshopper" whom my sister nicknamed because of what he was wearing.

I never used to believe my sister as I always believed that what she was saying to me was nothing but false information, but when I witnessed those things with my own eyes I realized that she had been telling the truth and ever since then we have made sure to secure our cows in the strongest building we have around here. Yet, that hasn't been enough to prevent them from breaking in and stealing the cows with no amount of resistance," replied Cremia.

" How often do they come?" asked Rika.

" They come once every year during the Carnival of Time celebrations and despite their one-time appearance, it is enough for the ranch to fall into a state of despair as they essentially ruin an entire year's worth of effort within the span of a few hours. The reason that I wanted to get back to the ranch was so that we could finish the preparations for tonight is the night in which "they" will appear in the ranch in order to acquire more cows.

The only time they were ever defeated was when we also learned that they were vulnerable to projectile attacks for they are simply spirits that wish to cause harm. I am sorry for not revealing this to you earlier as I had assumed that you wanted me to take you as far as the outskirts of the ranch and not into the ranch itself," replied Cremia.

" So when will "they" come?" asked Rika.

" They will be here within a few hours so we still have time to prepare for them."

" Who are you?" asked Takato.

" My name is Gor-Tsuengo although I prefer to be called Gron for short."

" Since when does a Goron live in Romani Ranch?" asked Takato.

" It does look surprising to see one who lives in the mountains call a place like this home, but this ranch has been my place of residence for the past three years so don't consider me to be a fresh face on the scene.

I did used to live in the snowy region of Snowhead during the colder times of the year including that terrible cold snap that almost wiped my tribe out, but when spring returned to the mountains it made me want to experience more of the beauties that lie beyond the mountains so I decided to move away from Snowhead in order to experience this new nature that I had seen.

My travels soon brought me to Romani Ranch where Cremia allowed me to live here so long as I provided my share of the work, and I have been doing exactly that ever since I first arrived here all those years ago. The aliens will be making their way here at exactly 2:00am in the morning which is why we must finish the last of the preparations before any of them arrive to take the cows away.

You two heroes look like you are capable of handling your own against any kind of evil creature so perhaps you could aid us in our time of need," replied Gron.

" You mean you want us to help?" asked Takato.

" You really should ask us ahead of time," moaned Rika.

" Time is against us my human warriors for "they" will soon be here and once the actions starts, it doesn't end until the morning sun begins to rise into the sky and believe me when I say this for I have faced off against those monsters each year I have been here.

This large gash across my chest was the result of one of them casting me aside for I was standing in the way of what it desired, and ever since then I have been looking forward to the day where I can get my hands on them again even though defeating one causes another to take its place within an instant," said Gron.

That wound that he showed us looked really deep and I was impressed that someone of his stature was able to live in order to tell the tale, but I saw that Takato and Rika were beginning to have doubts as to what they truly wanted to do in Termina.

At first they believed that they were going to be able to go about on their own and do what they wanted to do, but it seems as though now they are being pulled into the problems of those whom they know little about...except for Takato as he knew everything about the ranch with the exception of Gron.

" What can we do?" asked Takato.

" We wish to stop these monsters once and for all so that never again can they cause pain and suffering," replied Gron.

" You just want us to fight?" asked Rika.

" That is the basic idea although the job requires defensive tactics and knowing the lay of the land," replied Gron.

" So can you help us?" asked Cremia. Takato and Rika were confused as to what they wanted to do as aside from Takato the rest of us had no idea as to what "they" were supposed to be, and if there were going to be a large number of them swarming all across the ranch, we would need all the firepower we could get in order to hold our own against them.

All of this makes me yearn for the chance to digivolve again but there is no chance of that happening due to the barrier that prevents outside magic from taking place. The first thing that had to be resolved would be whether or not Takato and Rika were willing to help out the ranch deal with its alien problem, and this was quickly taken care of when both of them raised their swords and said yes which made Cremia and Gron happy knowing that they had additional help.

Now comes the hard part which involves just how we were supposed to fight off a seemingly endless number of monsters.

To Be Continued.

Second Author's Note: I think I might have given away what is going to happen in the next chapter based on what Guilmon said in his perspective, but then it would give this story that Digimon kick it needs.


	10. We Can Become Stronger

Takato and Rika in Termina

By Ganondorf8

We Can Become Stronger

Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon, Digimon Tamers, The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, or anything else that is associated through a disclaimer. Any original characters you see (and there will be some) are copyrighted to me because that is something that I can do.

Author's Note: When the time comes for Guilmon and Renamon to go to the next level, this chapter will explain how they are able to do so in Termina as Takato and Rika don't have any of their cards with them. I thought I would bring that up now just in case anyone was worried about it.

Renamon's POV

" Everyone knows what needs to be done so let's finish off those preparations," said Gron.

" How are we supposed to do anything when you haven't even said what we're doing?" asked Rika.

" I thought that it was kind of obvious," replied Gron.

" Not all of us have been involved with your means of fending off the ranch from those monsters," moaned Rika.

" She has a point Gron as the four of them have only just recently left Clock Town for the first time so they are not familiar with what happens out here in the wilds of Termina. I must apologize as Gron here does have a tendency to believe that everyone who comes here knows about "them" and what we have to go through in order to protect the cows," said Cremia.

" They haven't been out of town before?" asked Gron.

" Well, the one with the goggles has heard much about the regions including Romani Ranch, but the rest of his companions see all of this as a new experience," replied Cremia.

" I never would have thought that I would see the day where we would be speaking to those who have no knowledge of life outside of Clock Town. Okay, I suppose that I should explain everything in greater detail so that you four can understand what we are going to do about this invasion.

Our visitors will arrive on the ranch at 2:00am in the morning and you two warriors along with me will be waiting outside of our stronghold so that we can do all we can to drive them back until the sun comes up. Everyone else is going to be inside of the stronghold to serve as a last line of defence in case any of them monsters manage to make their way past us.

Those monsters only need the one member of their kind to infiltrate the stronghold which is why we have to make sure that we keep tabs on all of them," said Gron.

" And where is this stronghold?" asked Rika.

" The barn right behind us," replied Gron.

" You call that a stronghold?" asked Rika.

" This is a ranch after all so we have to make do with what we have on hand," replied Gron.

" I suppose you're right but at least you could have just said that it was a barn instead of a stronghold," moaned Rika.

" Gron here used to be a mighty warrior among the Goron tribe in Snowhead and was said to be on equal footing with their greatest warrior Darmani. As such he has a strong military nature that causes him to see things as being something else whereas the rest of us see it as what it really is.

In a way, Gron is correct in that the barn will be our stronghold for the cows will be locked inside with the rest of us while you three fight off the invasion. These monsters don't exactly have any offence although they do have strength in numbers, and they also have a tendency to appear in the most unfortunate of places," said Cremia.

" Such as?" asked Rika.

" Some of them will attempt to sneak up behind the house and attack the barn from behind your defences," replied Cremia.

" That just gives us more problems to work with," sighed Rika.

" Why say that?" asked Cremia.

" Takato and I fight in a way that the rest of you would see as being different, and as such I feel that we could do with some additional help," replied Rika.

" As much as I would like to provide you with the help that you desire, I'm afraid that we don't exactly have an army unlike the guards in Clock Town so you will have to make do with Gron," said Cremia.

" Our pilgrim friends over there can help us out," began Rika.

" They don't look like fighters to me," said Cremia.

" Let's just say that they are capable of some pretty impressive fighting techniques if asked to," smiled Rika. I was overhearing what Rika and Cremia were talking about, and I was impressed to see that my tamer needed me by her side in order to help her and Takato deal with this invasion that was due to happen within a few hours. The only problem that she had overlooked was the fact that both Guilmon and I are unable to digivolve due to the magic barrier covering this world.

As a result the two of us will be forced to remain as rookies which restrict what we are able to do seeing as many of the creatures that live in Termina boast power that exceeds our own. I just hope that Rika knows what she is doing otherwise things would only end up getting worse if Guilmon and I were to get involved. Another thing that she didn't bring up was how were the two of us supposed to fight without revealing our true identities in the process?

Guilmon and I have passed ourselves off as traveling pilgrims so that we can keep our Digimon appearances a secret, so unless something were to happen to Gron that would allow us to strut our stuff we weren't exactly going to be doing that much. Cremia ended up agreeing to Rika's suggestion so I decided to speak to Guilmon on the side in order to explain to him what was going to happen.

At first he was thrilled that he was going to be fighting with Takato which made me want to question his sense of ethics, but then he quickly clued in onto the horrible truth that both of us were limited in what we were able to do against this invasion.

" Neither of us can digivolve unless Rika thinks we can," said Guilmon.

" If that is true then she must have complete confidence in what she believes," I said.

" Takato tried to make me digivolve into Growlmon by using his digivice in order to chase after you and Rika when we first arrived in this world, but it didn't work so we had to come after you by simply running which made him wonder as to why it didn't work. Neither you nor Rika knows about this but Takato and I have been trying to figure out if there is a way to negate that magical barrier that prevents us from digivolving.

Our way of changing our forms is seen as a form of magic according to what Yamataromon said, and ever since then Takato has been trying everything in order to break through that barrier," said Guilmon.

" And did he succeed?" I asked.

" Every attempt that he tried failed which is when he came to realize that neither he nor Rika had brought along their cards with them," replied Guilmon.

" Those cards enable us to perform attacks and other abilities that we are not able to do on our own including the ability to digivolve beyond our Champion levels. I suspected that Takato would have forgotten to put them into his pockets, but I never would have suspected Rika of forgetting as she makes sure that she has taken care of every last detail. Then again this all did come up unexpected so they didn't have time to prepare for this journey based on having to see them go around buying various supplies," I said.

" What if we are unable to help our tamers?" asked Guilmon.

" If that were to happen then we wouldn't be worthy partners," I replied.

" What do you suppose Rika is planning if she feels that we will be able to do something?" asked Guilmon. That was a question that I wanted the answer to myself as Rika obviously knows something that she is keeping the rest of us out of it until the right time comes. She has been known to keep certain secrets to herself for she still has that attitude where she prefers to be left alone in order to deal with her own problems.

I doubted that was she was thinking had anything to do with her past, so maybe she has figured out something that Takato hasn't...and that actually would be no surprise as she usually manages to help him come to terms with what happens in the world. I guess all we could do is put our faith into Rika and hope that she knows what she's doing.

Soon enough Gron had finished his explanation which took him a long time to go through what with all of the various interruptions that took place, and the entire ranch staff began to make the final preparations come to life in order to welcome the invaders who were going to show up soon. Takato was practicing with a bunch of balloon-like targets so that he could improve on his ability to use a bow while Gron was punching the air in order to build up his strength for the coming ordeal.

I noticed that Rika was sitting by herself armed with a pencil and notepad in her hand and was busy jotting down something that was taking up her entire focus. I say this as Takato had been trying to call her in order for her to see how well he was doing, but then she was paying him no attention which meant that she was delving deep into whatever she was planning. Could this be what Guilmon and I had been wondering about? In order to find out the truth I decided to go and speak to her as I had a free moment to consult with my tamer.

" What's wrong Renamon?" asked Rika.

" There is something that you have been keeping a secret from us," I replied.

" You must be referring to what I said to Cremia about you and Guilmon helping us out," said Rika.

" I do appreciate that you wish for the two of us to fight by your sides, but you do know that Guilmon and I are unable to digivolve so I don't understand what you're trying to achieve," I said.

" Guilmon thinks that I have no idea that he and Takato have been trying to make him digivolve, but I've been watching them from a distance and recording as much as I could using this notepad that I just so happened to have brought along.

I had a feeling that spending time with goggle-head over there was going to bring trouble so I came prepared to some slight extent. Those two are terrible at keeping things secret as they make enough noise to attract people from miles away, and neither of them even realizes that they do that which leaves me to question their sense of intellect," said Rika.

" So what did you find out?" I asked.

" Our D-Powers don't work here due to the magical barrier covering Termina which prevents outside magic from working, and when I realized that I hadn't brought my Digimon Cards with me was when I came to the conclusion that perhaps you two can still digivolve but in a way that you've never tried before.

Those cards wouldn't have worked anyway seeing as they would have been treated as magic so I'm not worried about it unlike Takato who has been freaking out about it for quite a while.

When you and Guilmon used your attacks against the Gormon Brothers only to find that they worked differently than usual, I figured that digivolution works differently here as well as I don't think Yamataromon said that you two couldn't change if you went at it in a different direction," replied Rika.

" And you have figured out the answer?" I asked.

" Takato pretty much did the main work without even realizing it as his various attempts made me narrow down the choices to just one," replied Rika.

" What's that?" I asked.

" You and Guilmon have always digivolved through the use of our D-Powers and Digimon Cards, but since these two items don't work around here then you will have to digivolve naturally and with a different aid which will give you the strength to reach your champion stages.

You two will need to absorb some energy from Takato and me as that is the only way that you'll be able to digivolve due to our connections with you. It does sound painful I know when you think about it, but it is the only option we have based on what we will be going through soon enough," replied Rika.

" Just hearing you say that makes me feel disheartened," I sighed.

" I know you don't like the thought Renamon but we have no other choice. I'm going over to Takato in order to explain it to him plus I need to give him a proper thank you because he has been able to understand my feelings ever since we got here, and he deserves a reward that only I am able to deliver if you know what I mean."

I watched Rika walk off as soon as she finished her sentence and it made me wonder if she was beginning to show signs of affection towards Takato. That would be rather unusual for her as she was the kind of person who didn't have time for any romantic relationships, but I guess that being in Termina is causing her to change into a much more mature woman than what she was like a long time ago back when she and I first met.

A couple of hours had passed since then and the time was a few minutes away from 2:00am which meant that the invaders were just a few moments away from making their presence felt. Cremia and the rest of those who weren't going to fight had locked themselves in the barn in order to keep the cows company while the rest of us waited outside for the impending danger that was to come bearing down on us.

Takato and Rika had spent the last couple of hours together getting themselves ready for the invasion, and during this same amount of time they have also been getting closer by telling one another various secrets that they shared only between them.

" The time has almost come for the invasion to begin," said Gron.

" How will we know when they appear?" asked Takato.

" As soon as you see a flashing light appear in the sky then you know that they have come," replied Gron.

" I should have known that," said Takato.

" Remember that we have to keep them away from the stronghold until the sun comes up which won't be for another four hours," said Gron.

" We have to keep this up for four hours?" asked Rika.

" Be thankful that they only come once a year otherwise we would have lost a long time ago," replied Gron. At that moment a bright light appeared in the sky which indicated that the invasion had started so we all got ourselves ready to face the enemy, but then none of us had asked as to what they looked like so we were in for a surprise when the ranch suddenly became swarmed with strange creatures that began to make their way towards the barn at a rather slow pace.

Gron yelled at the top of his voice and curled up into a ball before rolling off towards where the invaders were coming from leaving the rest of us to deal with the ones that get too close. Takato and Rika started to fire their bows at the invaders and each time they hit a target the monster disappeared in a puff of smoke before another one appeared to take its place.

Luckily they had been supplied with plenty of arrows which they could use to keep them away from the barn until the sun came up. However, no one had even realized that all of this effort in keeping the invaders back was taxing to say the least which became evident when our tamers showed signs of exhaustion. They hadn't had this kind of fighting experience before which caused them to tire out quickly and allowing the invaders a chance to draw closer to the barn.

That's when Guilmon and I decided to fight against them for we were more than capable of holding our own as we were used to this kind of fighting. Since Gron had decided to go off ahead it allowed the two of us to unleash our attacks without him even realizing anything.

" Why are we so tired?" asked Rika.

" Neither of us are used to fighting like this so we're getting tired," replied Takato.

" This is why we needed to do more training," moaned Rika.

" But I've been practicing all this time," commented Takato.

" Then I guess that your idea of practice just wasn't enough," moaned Rika.

" So what do you suggest? Gron and our Digimon won't be able to hold their own against those invaders forever," said Takato.

" Which is why we need to give Guilmon and Renamon what little energy we have so that they can digivolve to their next forms naturally," said Rika.

" I still find that to be a crazy idea," said Takato.

" If they were stronger then they will be able to take care of these monsters for they have the experience of fighting such odds while you and I are still learning how to do that. We'll be fine goggle-head as all we're doing is allowing them to borrow our energy long enough for them to finish the job," said Rika.

" And what about Gron?" asked Takato. At that moment we heard a loud scream that came from Gron which indicated that he had somehow fallen to the invaders which made no sense as he looked as though he were more capable of holding his own. This was exactly what Rika had hoped for as now this was the moment that would allow Guilmon and I to digivolve according to the idea that she had come up with.

The two of us walked over to our tamers while they were busy keeping the invaders back and that was when Rika told Takato to give up some of their energy so that we could become our champion forms.

I was still against the thought of using the strength of my tamer in such a manner, but then she told me that this was the only choice we had if we were going to fight off the monsters and save the ranch. Guilmon and I then absorbed the energy in question and it began to fill us with a power which neither of us had felt before in our lives.

" Now you can digivolve naturally," smiled Rika.

" Couldn't there have been any other way?" I asked.

" This had to be done as we have no other alternative to rely upon," replied Rika. I had then come to the realization that Rika was correct in that this was the only option left even though it was one that I didn't approve at all because of what it involved. Guilmon then began to glow and he suddenly changed into Growlmon without any problems which made me wonder if this is how Digimon reach their stronger levels naturally.

It was then my turn to glow and I became Kyubimon within an instant yet it felt strange having to digivolve in a way that was unnatural to me, but Rika told me not to worry about it and instead focus our efforts on defeating the invaders for good so that they could never again threaten the ranch. It became apparent right from the start that Guilmon and I had different attacks than what we used normally when we began to fight in our champion forms.

We had to make sure not to allow ourselves to lose control otherwise we would only harm that which we have sworn to protect, and it would also reveal our true identities which had to be kept a secret above all else.

The combined power of our digivolution allowed us to push back the invaders at a rapid pace, yet Rika and Takato decided to aid us from behind by firing a barrage of arrows that would pick off those that Guilmon and I missed which included the ones that were coming from behind the house in order to get to the barn from behind our defences. This kept on going for a few more hours before the sun started to rise from the horizon which meant that the invaders were about to make a retreat.

" Once the sun comes up they'll fall back knowing that they have been defeated," said Takato.

" But then they'll just come back next year and repeat the whole thing all over again," moaned Rika.

" Then what can we do?" asked Takato.

" Make sure that they never come back again," replied Rika.

" And how do you plan on doing that?" asked Takato.

" That's where Growlmon and Kyubimon come into the picture as both of them have enough power to hit the one target that we should have focused our efforts on since the beginning. That glowing light is how they arrived on the ranch so if we can remove that from the equation then the rest of them should fall as well," replied Rika.

" And if it doesn't work?" asked Takato.

" We just have to believe in our Digimon and hope for the best," replied Rika as she held Takato's hand in her own which made me smile knowing that they were continuing to grow closer with every passing moment. I knew then that Guilmon and I had to do our best for our tamers believed in our abilities, and we had to succeed for them no matter what the cost.

The two of us then tried to locate the flashing light which at this moment had finally revealed itself due to the sun almost having risen from the horizon, and it was Guilmon who managed to locate it which surprised all of us for a brief moment before he and I unleashed our unusual attacks at the light.

We struck it at the same time which caused it to shimmer for a few moments before it crashed to the ground shattering into pieces as though it were some kind of fragile entity. In any case it proved to be very effective when the invaders started to vanish into smoke one by one for their means of escape had been taken away from them leaving them no choice but to be exposed by the sun.

" I knew that would happen," said Takato.

" What do you mean you knew that would happen?" asked Rika.

" I've played this part of the game before so I knew that they would retreat as soon as the sun rose for they hate sunlight," replied Takato.

" And why didn't you mention this to us sooner?" asked Rika as she began to start shouting at Takato for being a goggle-head to the fourth parallel. I suppose that even relationships between humans aren't exactly perfect for they do have their ups and downs from time to time.

Guilmon and I changed back to our rookie forms due to the energy given to us by our tamers having run out although I began to fear about future encounters where we would have to become stronger in order to hold our own against the creatures of Termina.

Just as we were about to tell the others in the barn that the invasion had been thwarted, the four of us stopped when we noticed Yamataromon standing among some bushes which was very unusual. He said to us from our last encounter with him that he rarely leaves the Clock Tower so why has he come all the way here?

To Be Continued.

Once again I have left you all with a cliff-hanger as I enjoy doing that sort of thing. Don't be afraid to submit reviews as I welcome all kinds of feedback so long as you stay within the rules.


	11. Woodfall, the Swamp Region

Takato and Rika in Termina

By Ganondorf8

Woodfall, the Swamp Region

Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon, Digimon Tamers, The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, or anything else that is associated through a disclaimer. Any original characters you see (and there will be some) are copyrighted to me because that is something that I can do.

Author's Note: The story is starting to pick up now with the group heading into the first region of Termina that exists to the south of Clock Town.

Takato's POV

Yamataromon had appeared before us just mere moments after the invasion had been averted, yet why did he decide to come all the way here in order to appear before us? Was it not he who said that he was rarely able to leave the safety of the Clock Tower for reasons known only to him?

Guilmon and Renamon were showing signs of happiness knowing that this ancient Digimon had come although Rika and I had our doubts based on what we had been told during our initial encounter with him.

My main concern at that point in time was to check to see if Gron was okay for we had heard his screams during the invasion, but then another concern came up when I noticed that Cremia had left the safety of the barn, and that she was just standing there on the spot as though she were frozen with fear.

She wasn't the only one to act like this for just about every last shred of detail appeared to be frozen which I felt wasn't possible as how could everything just suddenly stop moving? Could this be the side-effect of taking care of those monsters?

" I take it that you are concerned with the well-being of those who surround you," began Yamataromon.

" Those monsters have done something that has affected them all aside from the five of us," I said.

" What you are seeing is my power at work," said Yamataromon.

" Your power?" I asked.

" My power allows me to halt the flow of time for a brief period so that I may communicate with those who know me without having to have innocent people get involved in something they know nothing about. This ability will only last for a short time for it costs much in the way of strength to maintain it, and so I must make this encounter between us as short as I can or else I could end up inflicting tremendous harm upon myself.

You have no doubt concluded that the people of Termina still live in a world of fear and creatures for what you have just done is an example of the remnants of the incident that plagued this world long ago.

The one who changed you into Deku Scrubs has rekindled some of these past events in order to make the people suffer once more, and yet new events which have never existed before until now are beginning to emerge ever so slowly in the four regions that surround the heart of this land," replied Yamataromon.

" With your ability to stop time couldn't you have prevented some of these actions?" I asked.

" Even though my power allows me to perform feats that only a chosen few are permitted to master, what has been happening in Termina has gone beyond my own limitations and so I am unable to prevent these events from taking place.

All of these problems have been merging at the same time and attempting to stop time's flow in order to halt each and every one of these events would have destroyed me for my body would not have been able to keep up with so many problems taking place," replied Yamataromon.

" We were under the assumption that we were able to go about this world however we saw fit," I said.

" As you explore Termina on your own you will discover that you will be thrown into situations that are against what you believe in. This is because destiny has decided that you must get involved with the problem and resolve it even if it means risking your own lives. This ranch is an example of where you have gotten involved in an event that you questioned for the one called Cremia asked you to accompany her back to this place for she required protection.

This was something that you all knew was going to happen for I advised you to seek her out for she was your means of leaving Clock Town. What none of you knew was that she would require your services again just mere moments after arriving at your current destination.

Events such as these will appear before you when you least expect them to and you will be tested in ways that will end up tearing you apart from within for you seek to return home, and these people seek those who can aid them in their time of need.

There is no longer any need for you to remain here in this ranch for these people will be able to hold their own from now on as the problem that plagued them for so long has finally been put to rest, and so now you are able to once again explore this world in order to find out what you seek," replied Yamataromon.

" We're seeking something?" I asked.

" You wish to seek the way back to your world and you also seek out the one who caused you harm when you first arrived," replied Yamataromon.

" How did you know that?" I asked.

" The hearts that lie within each of you are all saying the same thing, and my other ability enables me to sense what people are thinking deep within their hearts. You wish to return home for that is where you come from and you wish to be with those who care about you the most.

You also wish to take care of the one who has caused you problems and that you plan to never rest until he has been dealt with on your own terms. These are the feelings of warriors for they yearn to defeat the one whom antagonized them in order to achieve the goal that they have set their hearts on achieving," replied Yamataromon.

" Okay, so what are we supposed to do now?" asked Rika.

" This is something that you will need to figure out on your own for my time here has run out," replied Yamataromon.

" Talk about bad timing," moaned Rika.

" I am sorry but my ability to hold the flow of time is about to come to an end for my body has been growing too weak as I have allowed this meeting to go on for far too long. You now know what to expect out of this world so enjoy interacting with the many denizens that exist here, and be sure to always watch one another closely for you must all stay together if you wish to survive and understand the real reason you are here.

That reason will be made clear once you have begun to unravel what lies below the surface," replied Yamataromon.

" You know something don't you?" asked Rika.

" I don't know why you have come here but what I do know is that you are tied to the future of this world," replied Yamataromon.

" Well that was a real waste of a question," moaned Rika as we watched Yamataromon disappear causing everything around us to resume its natural flow. His words were rather cryptic in nature but then we should have come to expect that from a Digimon who existed back when the Digital World first started.

Rika started to mutter to herself about not being told anything important while I was thinking about what he said about us having to figure out where we were to go next on our adventures in Termina. Something deep in my mind was telling me that there were strange dealings taking place in the shadows, and that whatever these were would be revealed later on which meant that we were just going to have to face them when the time comes.

I really didn't like how all of this was going as we were being kept in the dark and I know that Rika was someone who absolutely despises being left out of such important knowledge, and I was no better as I liked being informed as it allowed for a much better understanding of what we are doing. Yamataromon said that we have to figure out what we are supposed to do next, and I think I may know of a way where we can acquire that answer without too much difficulty.

" What happened?" asked Gron.

" Are you okay?" asked Cremia.

" One of those monsters was able to get the surprise on me and I guess I must have knocked myself out," replied Gron.

" At least they didn't attempt to take advantage," smiled Cremia.

" The sun has risen which means that either we have defeated them, or they were able to reach the stronghold and got away with your livestock," said Gron.

" The monsters were unable to penetrate the barn thanks to these four individuals who assisted you during the early hours of the morning, yet I have no idea as to how they were able to hold their own without you being around to offer them much needed support," said Cremia.

" Did you see anything?" asked Gron.

" All I witnessed was blinding lights and some strange figures moving about in the night," replied Cremia.

" These four have more about them than any of us even realize," said Gron.

" Which is why we shouldn't ask them about it just to be on the safe side of things," said Cremia.

" So what do we do now?" asked Gron.

" We have to fix any damage that might have been caused when the invasion started, but I have a strong feeling that the damage is going to be minimal this year due to the assistance we received just before things got started when they arrived. As for these four people who accompanied me back to the ranch and fought off the Gormon Brothers...I have this strange feeling that they are destined for something in Termina although I don't quite know just what it is that they are trying to achieve.

It is for the best that they no longer stay here in Romani Ranch for they need to go somewhere that has problems far worse than what has transpired here," replied Cremia.

" A bad omen perhaps?" asked Gron.

" Could be, but we must not take the risk," replied Cremia.

" You should head back to the barn in order to check up on your little sister as well as the others and the cows for they all need your attention right now. I shall deal with these people myself and find some way to steer them in the right direction," said Gron. I had no idea what the two of them had been talking about for they had been speaking in silence while I was busy making sure that Guilmon kept himself out of trouble.

Gron then walked over to where we were standing and started to speak straight away without allowing me to ask what he was doing. " You four have helped us drive away those monsters and saved Romani Ranch and for that we owe you all a great deal of thanks, but now I must be serious for there was a reason that you came here in the first place."

" We're actually trying to figure that out ourselves," I said.

" Romani Ranch is the most peaceful area in all of Termina for the only real problem that any of us have involves the invasion that takes place each year, and yet that will no longer be the case for you have driven them away for good which means that we who live here at the ranch will be able to live in peace.

Judging from the way you look now that I've spent this moment taking a good look at you, you two armed with the swords appear to be adventurers looking for somewhere to go where you can either become stronger or help out others who are in need of assistance. Your two pilgrim friends on the other hand could essentially go wherever they please for the entire world is open to their needs as all they desire is to move around from place to place," said Gron.

" The problem we have is that we need to know where to go next," I said.

" Termina Field won't have much for any of you as no doubt you've already seen what it has to offer when you were being brought to the ranch by Cremia, but there is a place where you can go where you will find yourselves buried in mounds of adventures and it just so happens to be a short distance away from here. Have you ever been to a place called Woodfall?" asked Gron.

" We were talking about it with Cremia when we were riding across the field in her cart," I replied.

" Then you only know the basics for Cremia has never set foot in the swamp while I have many times in the past back when I was running errands and fighting monsters in the name of my tribe. Woodfall is a forest that also comprises of a swamp that covers the entire southern portion of Termina aside from the area which we are located in now.

Woodfall itself consists of the purple mountain that towers above the rest of what the region has to offer with the other main areas include the Southern Swamp, the Woods of Mystery, and the Deku Palace which is the home of the Deku Tribe who live in the swamp. All of these different areas combined are known as Woodfall which is the collective term used whenever it gets mentioned.

Woodfall used to have problems involving issues between the Dekus and the Monkeys all because of an incident involving the Princess of the Dekus having gone missing during the incident that almost destroyed this world. The problems were resolved thanks to a young Deku Scrub who was able to rescue the princess and restore order between the Dekus and the Monkeys, but in recent months a new problem has arisen which once again involves the Dekus but not the Monkeys.

It seems that a small faction within the Deku Tribe has grown tired of what the Deku King has been doing and wish to remove him from power so that they may be able to assume control of what the tribe does," said Gron.

" Why would they want to go against their king?" I asked.

" The Deku King has been known for acting without thinking things over first which is how the incident between the Dekus and the Monkeys escalated out of control. If not for the return of the Deku Princess then the two tribes would have ended up destroying one another.

This faction see the Deku King as unfit to rule over them and so the Deku Tribe has been divided with those loyal to the king remaining in the Deku Palace with those of the faction having built a small base somewhere in the swamp. The other tribes of Termina have chosen to stay out of this conflict for we know what the Dekus are capable of given their reputation in political affairs.

The area of the Southern Swamp that we of the other tribes visit constantly is on a high level of alert in case the tensions among the Dekus ends up spreading outside of Woodfall and into the rest of Termina. Beyond the two caves where the river flows is the area of the swamp where the Dekus live and it is there where none of us dare to tread, yet Dekus who have made their lives successful beyond the safety of the trees are more than welcome to go past the caves so long as they realize what they are getting themselves into," replied Gron.

" Do you think we should go to Woodfall?" I asked.

" You can if you want to although I advise not to go beyond the caves for the Dekus are weary of outsiders and getting involved with their affairs could cost you your lives. I must leave you all now for I have to help fix any problems that may have occurred when the invasion took place earlier in the morning. I wish the four of you luck with your adventures," replied Gron as he walked off leaving the four of us to think about what he just said.

Could this be what Yamataromon said when we had to figure out what to do next on our own? It sounds like Woodfall was in need of help and I had a hunch that the guy who turned us into Deku Scrubs might have had something to do with the unrest that has existed there for a while.

The four of us would soon leave Romani Ranch once we had gotten some additional supplies and we were on our way traveling on the Milk Road when I decided to bring up the idea of seeing what this tension was among the Deku Scrubs.

" I knew you wanted to check it out goggle-head," moaned Rika.

" And what's wrong with that?" I asked.

" Those goggles of yours are on way too tight if you happened to have heard what was going on in Woodfall!" replied Rika.

" Of course I know all about the tensions that exist among them as I was listening to Gron as well," I said.

" The Deku Scrubs have been at odds with each other all because one group wishes for there to be a change in how things operate there. From what Cremia and Gron said about the Deku King, he is someone whose actions have only caused strife to exist which is why this faction has appeared for they want to remove him from power.

It's kind of like a domestic dispute except that it involves an entire tribe as opposed to being between a few people who happen to have gotten the rest of their group involved later. Takato, I am sorry for shouting at you just now as I've been frustrated ever since Yamataromon left us with nothing but cryptic clues for I hate it when people don't tell me just what I want to know as it wouldn't hurt anyone if people told each other the basics," said Rika.

" Thanks to Gron we may have actually figured out what Yamataromon was saying," I began.

" What are you getting at?" asked Rika.

" Yamataromon must have known about this problem that's taking place in Woodfall, but he was unable to share it with us directly for he said that we were going to be tested during our time in Termina. What Gron told us was just one of those tests as we had to figure out on our own as to where we were to go next, and how else could we learn what we needed to do than from someone who has knowledge of the problem," I replied.

" Since where we're going involves the Deku Scrubs homeland, I'm guessing that you and I can't go about as we are right?" asked Rika.

" Humans aren't exactly liked in Woodfall," I replied.

" Which means that we're going to have to walk around that swamp as Deku Scrubs which also means that we have to use our Deku Masks in order to become our alter-egos that were given to us by that jerk that turned us into those forms in the first place," moaned Rika.

" You still don't like the idea of being a Deku?" I asked.

" At first I just despised the thought of being one of them as that wasn't what I am supposed to be, but ever since that initial experience where we walked around Clock Town as Dekus, I've come to grow attached to my other form as it gives me a chance to experience the world from a different perspective. There are still some issues that I have with being a Deku but I am willing to assume my other identity if it means that we can do something about this problem among the tribe.

Your attitude is beginning to rub off on me Takato and I happen to like where that is going as it's been helping me overcome my own personal issues back when we first met. Whatever ends up happening in Woodfall when we arrive there, promise me that you will never leave my side at any time for the thought of being separated from you is too much for me to bear," replied Rika.

I nodded my head which then made me think hard about something that I never thought about until now. Rika has been insulting me in her usual manner which I have come to expect from her, but ever since we came to Termina she has been showing signs of affection towards me which I have found to be rather sincere.

I guess our experiences so far have managed to bring us closer together in ways that we never knew were possible, so that means that I must keep my promise to her and stay by her side no matter what happens to us. We soon found ourselves walking down the path that lead to a small area that consisted of some dead trees and a strange building to the left of us down a path.

This was seen as the entryway to Woodfall although technically we were in the area since we were surrounded by an endless sea of trees. From what I remember in the game there are supposed to be creatures living around here, but for some reason there were no signs of anyone which gave me an uneasy feeling.

" There should be creatures here," I began.

" And there are none?" asked Rika.

" Something strange is going on and it might have to do with the problem with the Dekus," I replied.

" At least we have safe passage to Woodfall so I wouldn't worry about the lack of creatures," said Rika.

" That's the problem I have Rika for creatures of all kinds exist in this area be they good, evil, or neutral as they have made this part of Woodfall their home. Not seeing any of them around makes me wonder if the tensions within the Deku Tribe have caused the other creatures to flee the area in fear of being affected by what's taking place further within.

The Dekus are the primary tribe here in Woodfall and everything they do affects the rest of the region in positive and negative ways, and because of their actions the rest of the region has been suffering and they haven't even realized what they are doing," I said.

" Wow...at first I planned on calling you goggle-head again, but now that you mention it that way things do appear to be unnatural," said Rika.

" So should we assume our Deku forms now or wait?" I asked.

" We should explore the swamp dressed as we are right now so that we can hold our own until we can be sure that we need to assume our other selves. Either way we will have to become Deku Scrubs if we plan on going past the two caves that Gron mentioned to us as only Dekus have ever really made their way past there and lived to tell the tale," replied Rika.

We continued walking down the path that lead deeper into Woodfall before we arrived in a large area that contained a path that went to the left, a large building that had been built high up above the ground, and before us stood the river which lead through the swamp and towards the area where the Dekus were at odds with one another.

Rika noticed the two caves in question and pointed them out to me which meant that until we were to go in that direction, we could remain as our human forms for Gron did mention that other tribes have come to this area on a regular basis.

A nearby sign told us that this was the Southern Swamp area within the Woodfall region so at least we knew where we were without having to worry about it. Once again there was no one around which led us to believe that the conflict among the Dekus had really taken its toll on the rest of the region.

" This place is just devoid of life," I said.

" I have played through this part of your game due to following the storyline so I know that there should be evil creatures lurking around in addition to the occasional Monkey and the lone Business Scrub up there on that platform where that building is. Of course we know that this version of Termina is the real thing so what happened in your game is different from what is happening right now.

We could go towards the two caves over there and put on our Deku Masks, but I think we should explore around this area first just so that we can get our bearings, and we may even find someone who may be willing to share with us some information with regards to what's going on.

I don't think that the Southern Swamp is devoid of anything aside from the Dekus as you know how people react whenever problems arise within their own neighbourhood. They'll try to run away from the problem or perhaps even hide somewhere where they think they won't be seen," said Rika.

" What do you suggest?" I asked.

" Renamon is checking out that building over there for I think we should go there first," replied Rika. We made our way over to the building which housed a ladder which would allow us to climb up to the platform, and we did so before we found ourselves standing in front of the door. Renamon told us that she was unable to hear any sounds coming from inside so our only option was to knock on the door to see if anyone would react.

Rika thought about knocking the door down but I told her doing that would just cause anyone inside to feel even more frightened which is what we needed to avoid as anyone still here who wasn't a Deku would be frightened enough already. I decided to knock on the door and when I did so we heard no sounds at all until someone inside perked up.

" No one's home!"

" Okay, that was weird," I said.

" Whoever said that doesn't want anyone to come inside," said Rika. She decided to try her luck and knocked on the door only to wind up getting the same response in addition to some extra words along the traditional lines of "leave us alone" and a new one for me that involved "just stay away from this place for we don't want to deal with you Dekus otherwise we will be forced to use fire and ice on you".

That last part sounded very flattering as we both knew that Dekus hated fire due to that incident where Rika's Deku body at the time was set on fire, but we didn't quite know about the ice issue which made us wonder just what it was that Dekus didn't enjoy.

We needed to find a way inside this building for we needed answers, and that is when Rika came up with the idea of having one of us enter through the chimney on the roof while the rest of us attempt to gain access via the door and the window on the side of the building. Why did I have this feeling deep in the pit of my stomach that I'm going to be the one that has to go on the roof?

To Be Continued.

A sort of cliff-hanger ends this chapter although it's more like a question that Takato will find his answer to in the next chapter. Just to let all of you know, the idea of the Deku Scrubs being at odds with one another is somewhat based on the dispute that took place in Caelin in Fire Emblem for the GameBoy Advance if you know about that game.


	12. Rebellion!

Takato and Rika in Termina 

By Ganondorf8

Rebellion!

Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon, Digimon Tamers, The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, or anything else that is associated through a disclaimer. Any original characters you see (and there will be some) are copyrighted to me because that is something that I can do.

Author's Note: This chapter does have some humerous moments in it although it will get serious once the real conversation gets underway. Also, a certain Legend of Zelda character who does not exist in Majora's Mask will be referenced too at one point, and I think you will figure out who this character is if you happen to know how I operate.

Guilmon's POV

Takato didn't feel good all of a sudden when we were making plans to find some way inside of this building, and I was wondering as to why he was acting like he was when prior to us getting here he was really excited about getting to see Woodfall in all its glory.

Sometimes I have this feeling that my tamer has multiple personalities that keep on making themselves known every time a new problem comes up. Anyway, the idea was for us to gain access into the building so that we may be able to reveal to whoever was on the inside that we weren't Deku Scrubs and that we meant them no harm. Rika still kept the idea of knocking the door down fresh in our heads due to the way those inside had spoken to us, but Takato insisted that would just make things worse so a different approach had to be used.

" If we just break it down we can surprise them," said Rika.

" With our swords swinging around us?" asked Takato.

" You make it sound like that's a bad thing," replied Rika.

" Not everyone in Termina enjoys fighting you know, and I feel that the people inside of this building aren't fighters as they've said that they don't want anything to do with the Dekus. If we attempted to force our way through we might end up making the wrong impression and that is something we can't afford to lose at the moment Rika.

We don't know much about the conflict that exists among the Dekus aside from what Gron told us before we left Romani Ranch, and I bet that these people may know something about the problem deep within Woodfall. We need to approach them with kindness so that we can earn their trust as doing things that way could reward us with some useful information," said Takato.

" And what if they don't want to trust us?" asked Rika.

" I suppose you could do things your way by using force," replied Takato.

" I'll make sure to keep that option open," said Rika. This had to be one of Rika's more finer moments ever since we arrived in Termina as she has been allowed to rely on some of her more questionable actions from time to time, and that was a sign of concern for everyone as she had a rather feisty attitude. Her methods have often landed people in all kinds of problems including us, but then they have proven to be our saviours as well so I guess that what she does has been of great help despite how she goes about her business.

It was Rika who came up with the idea of someone climbing up onto the roof of the building in order to gain access to the chimney stack which was perched near the back of the structure, and it was she who suggested that Takato be the one to climb up there seeing as he wanted to do things the peaceful way. Maybe this is why he hadn't been feeling good all because he didn't want to be the one to go down the chimney as though he were that jolly character that Takato told me about before Christmas last year.

" Why do I have to climb onto the roof?" asked Takato.

" You said that we should take a different approach and what better way than to have one of us come in from above while the rest of us enter through that nearby window," replied Rika.

" That didn't even answer my question," moaned Takato.

" Since you didn't want to take me up on my idea by knocking this door down, you now have to take me up on my other idea which involves you entering the building by climbing down the chimney. Either way you're going to end up not liking what you have to do goggle-head. Guilmon can't climb onto the roof as he is too heavy for the roof to sustain him so he has to make his way inside through the window.

Renamon can easily make her way onto the roof but then the thought of her climbing down a chimney doesn't strike a chord with me, so she is going to enter through the window along with myself of course as this is my idea so I get to do whatever I want. That just leaves you to handle the task of going onto the roof so you might want to start your way up, otherwise I could have Renamon throw you up there in case you start to act all stubborn about it," said Rika.

" You like the fact that you get to see me tortured don't you?" asked Takato.

" Sometimes I just like using you as a means of comedy relief," replied Rika. Remind me not to get on Rika's nerves as look what ends up happening if you decide to go against her ideas. Takato sighed over the notion that he had no other choice and so he walked around to the side of the house in order to see if he could find a ladder that would allow him to get onto the roof.

He quickly returned and informed us that there was no ladder or anything for that matter which would allow him to go up, but Rika knew just what to do which involved Renamon picking up Takato by the collar of his neck and throwing him as hard as she could onto the roof. For a brief moment Takato must have felt like a frisbee having been thrown onto the roof of someone's house when he was flying through the air before crashing hard onto the roof.

" I guess Renamon throwing me wasn't something I could refuse huh?" asked Takato.

" There was no other way for you to get up there so don't complain about it so much goggle-head and just get inside by using the chimney. The rest of us will enter through this window and meet you inside where we can have a few words with whoever decided to lock the front door," replied Rika.

We would wait a few moments before making our move by entering the window, and that is when we found ourselves surrounded by a large wall of fire that seemed to have appeared the moment we landed on the floor of the building. Standing near our location was an old woman who was holding a strange scepter in her hand and judging from the residue of fire surrounding her body, she must have been the one who decided to give us the warm welcome.

" Thought you could sneak in here hmmm."

" Don't I know you from somewhere?" asked Rika.

" How can you know me when I don't even know who you are"

" Let's just say that the three of us and our fourth companion have seen things from a different angle," said Rika.

" You did let your friend know that we left the fireplace on when you threw him onto our roof." Rika then realized that she hadn't been aware that smoke had been coming out of the chimney ever since we first arrived in the area, and that meant that Takato wasn't going to like what was about to happen next as it would involve him receiving some rather painful experiences.

A loud yell came from the chimney as Takato rolled out of it and around the floor in order to put out the fire that had lit themselves on the armour he had been wearing. Rika ended up laughing as she found all of this to be nothing short of hilarious and even Takato decided to join in on the humour as he found it to be funny as well now that he has experienced the concept of being set on fire just like she had received before.

The woman standing in front of us though didn't look quite as amused as they did which made me wonder if they had somehow offended her in some way. " You people from Clock Town never cease to amaze me what with your strange talents and penchants for laughing at the most inappropriate of times."

" But we don't come from..." began Takato before Rika gave him an elbow to the stomach.

" Don't let onto that goggle-head," she whispered.

" Why have you come to Woodfall?"

" We were interested in what has been taking place among the Deku Scrubs who live further in the swamp," replied Rika.

" That means that none of you are associated with the Dekus otherwise you would have known what the conflict was all about. For that I must apologize for not opening the door to you sooner as that could have prevented your friend here from having to go down a chimney when it is lit.

I am under the understanding that you do have some knowledge about what has been happening among the Dekus for news of their inner-struggle amongst themselves has extended far beyond the reaches of Woodfall to the point where even those who live in Snowhead are aware of what's happening here."

" A friend who lives at Romani Ranch told us what he knew about the problem," said Rika.

" Which is why I am going to share with you the rest of the story as for some reason you four could be the ones who can put an end to all of this arguing that has placed this region into chaos. Before I begin sharing with you this story, I must first introduce myself otherwise you will only end up asking me for it later which would in turn disrupt my flow of concentration. My name is Koume and I am the one who owns and runs the Swamp Cruise that takes customers on a quick trip around the swamp by going deep into the Dekus territory before coming back here again.

It is true that a faction has been formed within their society as a result of how certain Dekus see their king, and that this group have settled in an area that's not too far away from where the Deku Palace stands. What your friend hasn't told you is how all of this has been allowed to carry on for such a long time in addition to the true reason behind this sudden increase in tension.

Ever since the Deku Princess was rescued and the Monkeys of Woodfall had earned their peace with them, some members of the Deku Tribe started to see their king as a failure in their eyes and through his actions have ruined many opportunities to forge peaceful relationships with the other tribes. The Deku King as you know has been known to act without reason so you can understand why these Dekus don't like the idea of him being their leader for much longer.

At first the problem was restricted to simple arguments over wanting a better life for the tribe if the Deku King weren't in charge, but then all of this changed straight away when an incident took place that changed everything entirely."

" What happened?" asked Rika.

" An assassination attempt had been made on the life of the Deku King by a Deku who had radical ideas given to him by someone whom he had admired for quite a long time now.

The Deku King once again acted without reason and banished all those who had been defying his reign over the tribe out of the palace and into the swamps of Woodfall where they have all banded together and created the faction that wishes to end the reign of the king so that a new kind of monarchy can take place. The Deku who was at the center of the assassination attempt had originally been sentenced to death, but he was able to escape using a magic which has never existed on Termina leading people to believe that this Deku had inhuman powers," replied Koume.

" I thought that magic from outside of Termina could not work here," said Rika.

" That is what the creatures of Woodfall believed as well before they decided to flee as a result of the growing tensions amongst the Dekus," said Koume.

" Who did this Deku admire?" asked Rika.

" He admired a man who had a lust for power and was able to conquer an entire world by himself using a combination of his power and the power of some ancient artefact...Ganondorf was his name," replied Koume. We were all shocked when we heard that name for Ganondorf was well-known as being the Dark Lord who had attempted to consume the kingdom of Hyrule with his evil power for many centuries.

The four of us have dealt with him numerous times back when Takato and Rika first started out as tamers, but who would have thought that a Deku Scrub could be inspired to carry out such evil actions all because he had a strong admiration for a man whom everyone feared with all their hearts. While Renamon and I didn't display much in the way of fear, Takato and Rika looked as though they had been scared right out of their wits when they heard Ganondorf being spoken by Koume.

I guess they still remember all of those horrible experiences that he put them through so many years ago, and if I were in their shoes I would be remembering the exact same thing. " This Deku Scrub saw this Ganondorf character as some kind of inspirational hero which is what lead him to attempt to kill the Deku King. It is this same Deku who just so happens to lead the faction that were cast out by the Deku King so you can understand where some of the tensions have been coming from."

" Do you know much about Ganondorf?" asked Rika.

" The people of Termina have never heard of him before until recently when this Deku talked about him when he was busy rallying up all of the Dekus who shared in his way of thinking," replied Koume.

" What do you mean by rallying up?" asked Rika.

" The tensions between those loyal to the Deku King and those loyal to the faction have been growing worse and worse as each day passes, and the assassination was the fuel that set everything ablaze for what has taken place among the Dekus has only been intensifying ever since that moment. The faction have decided to start a rebellion against the Deku King and have urged all those who are tired of his reign to rise up against him in order to create a better world for the tribe.

At first it sounded like utter nonsense among those of us who call Woodfall home and even the Deku King thought of it in that fashion, but then our tunes changed when Dekus of all kinds began to rally up against the monarchy which shows that they truly wish to experience a change in their society. This rebellion has forced most of the creatures in Woodfall to flee as they do not wish to become embroiled with the problem, and yet there are those like myself who have decided to stay behind in order to bear the full brunt of what is about to happen," replied Koume.

" So in a way Ganondorf is responsible for this conflict even though he has had no actual involvement in it," said Rika.

" What you say does make some sense but there is another part which I must inform you as it only serves to bring together the remainder of this story. The Deku in charge of the faction recently received a visit from a strange character who wore a cloak that covered up his entire body, and that they talked to one another behind closed doors as it was to be a sort of private meeting between the two.

What is known by me is that when this character left the faction's fortress in order to go about his business, the leader of the faction has increased the tension to levels that we never even believed would happen. This character must have made the problem even worse by saying just the right words to cause the faction to further their own methods of rebellion. You four wish to find some way to end the rebellion that the faction has created? I have to admit that you have much in the way of bravery although you do have a strong notion of stupidity flowing about you as well," said Koume.

" Then why haven't you done anything about it?" asked Rika.

" I take it that this question comes as a response to what I just said about you," replied Koume.

" You better believe it," snapped Rika.

" My magical powers are strong but they are not enough to just simply put an end to the tensions that exist among the Dekus. One would need to find a way to bring down the faction and defeat the one who had been influenced by Ganondorf, and this same one would need to speak to the Deku King in order to get him to finally understand just how his methods of ruling have gotten on the ire of his people," said Koume.

" Then the four of us will fill in the role of that "one" you just spoke of," said Rika.

" You must not have seen much action outside of Clock Town based on that answer for you should know that the Dekus don't tolerate outsiders from the other tribes walking around in their territory. If you attempted to make your way into that area as you are then I doubt any of you will last for very long for if the Dekus were to capture you, well, you don't really need to hear the rest of that as it is obvious as to what will happen in that scenario.

This is how it has been ever since the tensions first started many months ago, so I advise you to look elsewhere for your adventures unless you are really determined to delve into their territory," said Koume.

" I think you know what the answer is," smiled Rika.

" Then I guess you'll be needing my Swamp Cruise services for my cruise is the only way you'll be able to go beyond the two caves if you wish to reach the deeper areas of Woodfall. Because of the tensions my boat will not take you all the way to the Deku Palace for I fear that the Dekus may damage it out of spite, so you will need to find your way there on your own once the boat has reached the two caves.

Again I advise that you think this through for the Dekus won't take too kindly to you walking around their territory, but if you really must go through with this then I will allow you to use my boat free of charge," said Koume. We thanked her for the use of her boat and we left the building via the front door which we were able to unlock without having to go through the rest of the problems we had getting in.

Rika was back to her gloomy look when she knew that she and Takato had to become Dekus in order to make their way through the territory which the Dekus have called their home, but her expression changed to a smile for there was no other way to avoid what had to be done.

" I never would have thought that Ganondorf influenced someone here on Termina," began Takato.

" This shows you that your game references are beginning to get weaker the further we make our way around this world," said Rika.

" Do you think that the character Koume mentioned was the same one who has been plaguing us?" asked Takato.

" I hope that it is him as we have some unfinished business with that guy," replied Rika.

" The weird thing is that Koume never asked us for our names as though she either knew what they were, or didn't really care for it was none of her business," said Takato.

" There are some questions that I would rather not know the answer to goggle-head with that one right there being one of them. This boat doesn't really look like much but we can use it to make our way over to the caves where you and I can don our masks and become our Deku Scrub alter-egos.

If we want to walk about the Deku's territory then what better way than doing so as fellow Dekus although I'm not sure how Guilmon and Renamon will be able to make their around for they don't have masks like we do, and they do kind of stick out in a place like this if you think about it for just a few moments. I don't like the idea of just leaving them behind so we won't even consider that to be an option, but how can we keep them out of sight in order to not arouse the suspicions of the Dekus?" asked Rika.

" They can always hide," replied Takato.

" But what if they get caught?" asked Rika.

" I don't quite follow you," replied Takato.

" Hiding among the flora and fauna of Woodfall can help Guilmon and Renamon, but the problem lies with the Deku Scrubs for you never know where they could be hiding and they may end up running into them. Look, all we need to do is just come up with some kind of system that will allow us to do our thing, and our partners to do their thing without anyone being the wiser about it," said Rika.

Those words of hers made me feel confused but she make some good points if you were able to find them in that mess of words. It seems to me that Renamon and I have the worse problem which makes me wonder if being a Digimon is the best thing for me as we appear to attract trouble like magnets. At least it isn't all bad for Renamon and I get to experience yet another one of Takato's and Rika's arguments over what can be done now to move on.

" What kind of system did you have in mind?" asked Takato.

" You and I can easily walk about once we put our masks on, but Guilmon and Renamon don't have that same luxury which is why we need to make sure that they stay safe at all times. I thought that what I was saying would have been so obvious even to you goggle-head, but once again I find myself having to go back to the basics just so that you can understand," replied Rika.

" I'm not that stupid!" snapped Takato.

" Sometimes I do see you as being exactly that when you don't use your head properly," said Rika.

" Just because you get something and I don't doesn't make me stupid," said Takato.

" Look, we can stand here all day arguing about this stuff for days on end, but right now we need to make this system of mine a reality so that all of us can make our way around the deeper recesses of Woodfall successfully for we all have to stick together if we hope to have any chance of putting an end to the Deku problems," said Rika. These arguments do cause our tamers to show bitterness towards one another, but at least in the end they are able to come even closer than ever before so I'm glad to see them using their issues to further cement their relationship.

I have been wondering about one thing and that is what the connection is that Ganondorf, the Dark Lord has with this world through the mind of that one Deku Scrub who idolizes him so much. Why is it that when we want to find out something, all we get out of it are more questions than answers?

To Be Continued.

Author's Note: Yet another unusual cliff-hanger to end the chapter, but at least it ends with Takato and Rika doing what they enjoy best. The next chapter features the return of the "Deku Scrub Tamers" only this time you know that they aren't as restricted as they were before.


	13. Deku Scrub Tamers Redux

Takato and Rika in Termina 

By Ganondorf8

Deku Scrub Tamers Redux

Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon, Digimon Tamers, The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, or anything else that is associated through a disclaimer. Any original characters you see (and there will be some) are copyrighted to me because that is something that I can do.

Author's Note: These next few chapters will mainly feature Takato and Rika in their Deku Scrub forms due to where they are going in the Woodfall. Also, in the chapter I made a mentioning to Ganondorf, the Dark Lord whom you all recognize as the main villain in the Legend of Zelda series. Will he actually make an appearance in this story? That's difficult to say but you never know what may happen next as I enjoy pulling all sorts of surprises from out of nowhere. Once again thanks for all of the views and reviews that you've given to this story so far. Oh, and there will be some more humerous moments as well as I find that these help move things along so long as it doesn't take away from the overall story.

Second Author's Note: This chapter is actually shorter than the others as I didn't really need to say that much, but I will try to make the next one longer as it will feature more content that will need to be covered.

Rika's POV

" The idea is that while you and I go around as our Deku Scrub selves, Guilmon and Renamon can follow behind us in the shadows by using some of this camouflage paint that I just so happen to have with me. Please don't start asking me why I have something like this in my pocket otherwise we'll be here all day arguing about it and not getting anything done.

My system involves our partners hiding amongst the flora and fauna of Woodfall so that the Dekus will never detect them being there, and what better way for them to mingle among the flowers than by wearing this paint which will enable them to blend in with their surroundings." My idea sounded very promising although when I noticed Takato scratching his head, I knew that he was still having trouble coming to see things my way which made me want to punch him right in the face all because he's holding back.

Then again, despite his attitude and being somewhat clueless most of the time, goggle-head over there did come up with some brilliant plans of his own which made me wonder if he was going to come up with some kind of alternative for us to rely on. The camouflage paint that I had in my pocket was similar to the kind that you see used by the military although this one had a more forest like feel to it as I just had this feeling that we were going to be exploring a forest.

The idea of seeing Renamon being covered in some kind of paint does get on my nerves, but then there was no other choice apart from asking her and Guilmon to stay behind while we explore the deeper recesses of Woodfall, and that was an option that neither me or Takato were willing to accept as a potential strategy.

" Okay, I won't ask you about the paint," said Takato.

" All that time thinking and that was the best you could come up with?" I asked.

" That wasn't the only thing on my mind as I was concerned with how Guilmon and Renamon were going to get around the swamp. No offence to either of them but they do stick out badly even though right now they are dressed as traveling pilgrims, and sticking out among the Dekus is nothing short of asking to be caught. The camouflage idea is very promising as that should give both of them some degree of safety, but did you ever stop to think about how we would be able to recognize them should we all end up becoming separated," replied Takato.

" Us? Get separated? Like that will happen," I scoffed.

" It happened twice when we went to the Digital World years ago so it can easily happen again," said Takato. Right there and then I wish that he hadn't said those words for he was right in that we have been vulnerable to the problem known as being broken up against our own will, and just hearing him say those words was enough for me to start thinking about it in all the wrong ways.

I know that Guilmon and Renamon are more than capable of taking care of themselves for they are Digimon and such concepts are incorporated into their memories, but Takato and I weren't as fortunate for we are unfamiliar with the lay of the land...okay, so I'm unfamiliar with it as Takato has no doubt already gathered his bearings thanks to playing that video game of his. Why is it that a mere video game has been an essential component in our bid to navigate this world successfully?

It's one of those many mysteries that will forever remain exactly that. The four of us got onto the boat and we realized straight away that there were no oars or anything else that would enable us to row our way down to the two caves further down the river. How were we supposed to get anywhere without any oars with which to row. Takato was thinking of a solution and I hope that it didn't have anything to do with either one of us having to use our arms to glide us along as the thought of dipping my arm into this strange water was enough to make me want to throw up.

" So how are we supposed to move?" I asked.

" Well, it was obvious to me right from the start that you wouldn't to dip your arm into the water so I figured that Guilmon could use his tail," replied Takato.

" Did you actually tell him that?" I asked and that is when Takato realized that he would need to talk to Guilmon, and I doubt that even a Digimon like him would be crazy enough to stick his tail into an unfamiliar water source such as the one seen here in Woodfall. Once again the mind of goggle-head ceases to amaze me as only someone like him could come up with an idea that had no support in any way.

" What do you suggest?" asked Takato.

" You've been here before you know," I replied.

" This is my first here in Woodfall along with you Rika," said Takato.

" I was referring to your video game goggle-head as you have been here already in the game which means that you know what is going to happen next. Sure, a lot of things have changed from the game to the real world here, but I'm sure that there are some things that have remained the same in the transition," I said.

" Well, the Swamp Cruise boat does move on its own without the need of anyone or anything to operate it," said Takato.

" Magic?" I asked. Takato nodded his head and I felt stupid as I should have known that this boat operated on magic. After all it is owned by a sorceress who has spent who knows how long dabbling in the magic arts so what better way to have this boat move about the river than by allowing it to move by itself without the need of an operator. The boat slowly began to move and we were beginning our march towards the two caves although Koume never instructed us on how we were to stop this boat from going beyond the caves and into Deku territory.

At least the boat ride was a smooth one as opposed to the bumpy ride we got when we rode with Cremia to the ranch all the way from Clock Town. The boat sailed down the river before coming to such a harsh stop that it felt as though Takato and I could have been thrown from the vessel and landed head-first into the water. I guess that magic also allows it to stop depending on where Koume wishes for it to go and for how long.

We stared into the cave that was on the left side of the cliff-face for that was where the boat had taken us, and we saw that there was a small walkway that we could use to make our way into the Deku Scrubs territory. Guilmon and Renamon knew that this meant that they had to be covered in the camouflage paint so I spent about ten minutes painting all over their bodies so that they could blend in with the upcoming surroundings. As usual Guilmon proved to be difficult as he was constantly moving around while Renamon stood perfectly still for she knew that is what I was expecting from her.

" They both look as though they have been decorated for Christmas," laughed Takato.

" At least they will be able to walk around with us with the bonus of being able to hide among the flora and fauna," I said.

" I just can't help laughing though," laughed Takato.

" Which may explain why your I.Q is so low at various times," I moaned.

" Come on Rika; even you have to admit that seeing Guilmon and Renamon wearing all that paint is enough to make you want to laugh," said Takato. Now that he mentions it I do actually find the idea of our partners covered in paint to be a rather humerous sight, and so I soon burst into laughter over the job that I had done and even Guilmon and Renamon started to laugh as they thought that they looked silly. Who would have thought that Renamon would be capable of laughing as she is usually such a serious Digimon in nature.

I guess hanging around guys like Takato for years was enough to make her pick up a few things here and there such as the art of laughter. We would soon re-focus our efforts for I knew what was going to happen now for the time had come for Takato and me to assume our roles as Deku Scrubs. We both took out our Deku Masks which we had stored in our back pockets and all I was able to do was just stare at mine and thinking about what it all meant.

Staring into the face of the mask made me realize that we were going to be stuck like this for an unknown amount of time for beyond these caves lies an area only a Deku Scrub is able to walk in peace despite the current conflict amongst the tribe. Takato loved the idea of becoming a Deku as he said that it was another form of bio-merging with our partners although we are the only ones involved in the process and not them, but then while he was thrilled about it my mind was telling me that I was going to have to force myself to like what we were about to become.

I have admitted to the others that I do like some of the aspects of being a Deku Scrub, but I also mentioned that there are still some things that I don't like about it which made me think real hard about what I was going to do. Goggle-head's mind was pretty much made up so there is no need for me to try and guess as to what he is currently thinking about. He noticed me staring into my mask which caused him to walk over to me in order to ask me something very important. " You still have doubts about using that mask don't you?"

" It's difficult for me to want to become a Deku Scrub as you experienced the same things I did," I replied.

" That is what provides us with our life experiences," said Takato.

" How have you managed to accept it whereas I haven't?" I asked.

" I'm one of those people who doesn't mind what happens to him so long as I am able to learn from the initial experience and do my best to work together with it for future encounters. I'll admit that I had the same feelings you have right now Rika, but I was quick to accepting the thought of being a Deku as it is something that has never happened to me before. I've always dreamt about using a mask like this to become another creature, and now I have that opportunity thanks in large part to Yamataromon for giving us the chance to be able to utilize our other selves again," replied Takato.

" Then that means I do mind stuff like that," I sighed.

" You just need to get used to the idea of becoming something else," said Takato.

" What if I can't accept it?" I asked.

" Just remember that you're still the same person on the inside even though you will end up looking different on the outside once we get our masks on," replied Takato. That was one of his moments that made me feel happy that I have him for a friend, and without even realizing my own actions, I would find myself kissing Takato on the cheek as a thanks for his kindness towards helping me with my problems.

In my mind I wanted to pull away from the kiss and just focus on what we had to do, but my heart was telling me to keep on going as there was no other way for me to express my emotions other than to kiss the cheek of the one who had been able to cheer me up. Thank goodness that neither Guilmon or Renamon had decided to say anything otherwise I would have been embarrassed to no end and that would have just left me crushed to pieces.

As soon as I had regained my composure and was ready to get down to business, Takato and I put on our masks and straight away I felt as though I were being torn apart from the inside due to the strong power that my mask was giving off. In those brief moments I felt like wanting to throw up as a result of the pain, and at the end of the overall experience I let out a loud scream before becoming my Deku Scrub alter-ego which made me both sad and happy at the same time.

If that is what I have to go through whenever I put on this mask then I think I'm going to not like things further down the road. " Being like this isn't so bad Rika as now we can walk among the Dekus without drawing any kind of attention towards ourselves. I know that some of our clothes have retained themselves during the transition, but at least we look like Dekus so we should be okay when we come into contact with the others."

" So where do we go from here?" I asked.

" The only place we can go is into the cave so that we can reach the area on the other side," replied Takato.

" I've been thinking about something as well...okay, two things if you want me to be honest with myself," I began.

" What are they?" asked Takato.

" The first thing that has been on my mind has to do with the fact that the Deku King's assassination attempt is what lead to the current problem taking place among the Dekus. Prior to Koume mentioning this to us I believed that the two sides were merely arguing over something small that could be resolved without too much difficulty, but now that we know that the problem stems from an act that can be considered evil, we have our work cut out for us as I doubt that either side is going to be willing to want to talk about it," I replied.

" It's the Deku King who is at the center of the problem for the issues all revolve around him," said Takato.

" Then that means we should speak to him," I said.

" Good luck with that as getting through his security isn't easy as we are just commoners when compared to the Deku King," said Takato.

" Just leave that to me when we reach that part," I smiled.

" So what's the other thing on your mind?" asked Takato.

" Ganondorf," I answered.

" I had a feeling that one of us would bring him up," said Takato.

" He has never existed in Termina and as such the people of this world have never had to know of the evil acts he has committed, but just hearing that he was the one who influenced the Deku who tried to kill the king makes me feel that the Dark Lord's influence is slowly seeping into this world and that nothing can be done to stop it. I know that Ganondorf isn't responsible for this conflict among the Dekus, but you have to feel as though he has some kind of connection with all of it," I said.

It was at that moment that Takato would once again comfort me knowing that I needed it badly, and he told me to not to allow the thought of Ganondorf plague my mind for we had to fix this problem before it would reach the point where it couldn't be fixed. We walked through the cave making sure not to fall into the water for our Deku Scrub bodies were shorter than our human forms so falling in would mean we either drown or drift all the way towards the palace or back to where the Swamp Cruise boat was going.

Soon the swamp-like forest would greet us once again when we reached the other side of the caves, yet unlike the previous area that was filled to the rim with plenty of flora and fauna, this area had those but it all looked as though it had been through some kind of war-zone for the tell-tale signs of conflict were everywhere. Trees had been burned to a cinder, many of the flowers had withered away due to the ground having been heavily disrupted, and the river became a dirty colour which made me glad that I didn't fall in earlier when the boat stopped.

" I guess the conflict has been taking its toll on this part of the region," said Takato.

" No wonder the other creatures fled in terror as look at the damage that has been inflicted," I said.

" Will Guilmon and Renamon still be able to make their way around despite these problems?" asked Takato.

" They can although they will need to be more cautious than ever before," I replied. As we walked further into the large wooded area complete with signs of both the swamp and destruction, we came across what appeared to be a small bunker which had been carved out of the ground. Sitting in this strange bunker was a Deku Scrub who was busy mumbling to himself about all kinds of problems which made us wonder if he was either just thinking about things out loud, or that he was a Deku who had lost his final shred of sanity due to the conflict.

Takato and I thought for a few moments as to what we were going to do, and we both came to the conclusion that we should communicate with this Deku in order to see if he was willing to provide us with some information. We were fellow Deku Scrubs like he was so we assumed that it was going to be easy to talk to him, but when we got closer to him we realized that he wasn't just delusional; he was also looking like some kind of sadistic monster what with that expression on his face.

" What do you want?" asked the Deku.

" We want to have a word with you," replied Takato.

" Are you with them or them?" asked the Deku.

" That made no sense," replied Takato.

" You'd better give me an answer within 10 seconds otherwise I might just decide to label you both as being on their side to which the punishment is being thrown into the river," said the Deku. As humans being thrown into a river wasn't that bad for we could easily stand up and make our way to the shoreline, but Dekus have a much harder time dealing with rivers which meant that Takato and I had better give him an answer otherwise we would be facing the possibility of being given an early burial.

To Be Continued.

Author's Note: I included two romantic moments between Takato and Rika as a reminder that this story does feature the Rutako couple concept. Also, I did make another reference to Ganondorf although that is exactly what it is and not a sign that the Dark Lord himself will make an actual appearance, or does it? Finally, the Deku Scrub with the sanity problem will be given a name in the next chapter that will have something to do with his current state of mind.


	14. The Deku Palace

Takato and Rika in Termina 

By Ganondorf8

The Deku Palace

Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon, Digimon Tamers, The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, or anything else that is associated through a disclaimer. Any original characters you see (and there will be some) are copyrighted to me because that is something that I can do.

Author's Note: As I stated at the end of the previous chapter, the Deku Scrub with the issues will be given a name that will reflect upon his current condition. His name comes up quite early on and it happens to be along similar lines to the Rare Deku name used for another character who appeared early on in the story. There is another Deku Scrub who appears right at the end of the story yet he has no actual name for he is just one of the many guards who patrol the Deku Palace. The story refers to him as the "Deku Guard" as a way of giving him a name.

Renamon's POV

I so wanted to come to the aid of Rika who had just been threatened by a Deku Scrub who appeared to have some personal issues, but I knew that I was powerless to help my Tamer for it would mean revealing myself to the Deku Scrub thus putting our situation into jeopardy. Guilmon said that he felt the same way with Takato being threatened in the same fashion as Rika, but he knew that he could not help for the same reasons that I had so we were both forced to watch our partners, as well as our friends succumb to the attitude of a Deku who had more problems than several humans put together.

He had been mumbling to himself about all kinds of things such as the future of the tribe right down to how it was going to affect him, and while this sounded like a normal thing a Deku would think about during such difficult times, his problem was that it was the way he was speaking which made him appear as the disturbed individual that we all see before us.

Takato and Rika had been given a rather unusual demand which they had to answer within mere moments, but how could they provide a solid answer when the question itself was difficult to grasp when you consider that none of us know what them and them means. Guilmon shuddered at the thought of seeing them get thrown into the river, and while something like that wouldn't bother me in the least, it was especially bad for our Tamers for they were in Deku Scrub form and the tribe doesn't look as though they can handle the water very well.

" What was the question again?" asked Takato.

" Are you with them or them," replied the Deku.

" What does that supposed to mean?" asked Rika.

" You have just mere moments to give me an answer before I decide to give you two a diving lesson into the river," replied the Deku.

" How are we supposed to give you an answer when we don't even understand what the question is? You asked us twice now if we are with them or them according to what you said, but you never told us who "them" are so that prevents us from answering your question due to a lack of information," said Rika. That sounded rather logical which was a strange move for Rika to take as she was the kind of person who preferred to get down to business and leave the questions until later on.

Apparently her logic had taken affect on the Deku who suddenly realized that his own question did in fact make no sense for determining who "them" are is impossible unless you specify some kind of association with them. " Looks like you finally got the message in that we can't give you an answer without the proper information first. For a fellow Deku Scrub who has issues you seem to be rather clueless with regards to the basic needs behind a question."

" What do you expect from a Deku who has seen his share of conflicts in the past?" asked the Deku.

" I didn't think that the Dekus had ever been in conflicts prior to this one with the exception of the Deku Princess kidnapping," replied Rika.

" You two must have moved away from Woodfall a long time ago for it seems that you have forgotten about the conflicts that have plagued your kin for so long. We Dekus have always struggled to find our place in the world what with the other tribes seeing us as being different from them, but our problem is that we have forged and broken so many treaties that we are seen as untrustworthy in the eyes of the humans, Gorons, and Zora.

It is because of this attitude the other tribes have towards us that the faction who are against the Deku King have rebelled for they wish to abolish the current monarchy in favour of one who will stay true to the words of pacts. Many of us have become conflicted with what we want to believe in which is why I had to ask you if you were on the side of the king, or the side of the faction," said the Deku.

" All you told us was were we on one of two sides whom you referred to as "them" instead of just saying the proper names," moaned Rika.

" Don't blame me for such shortcomings for I have enough on my mind as it is," said the Deku.

" Who are you?" asked Takato.

" Most people refer to me by my nickname of "Insane Deku" due to the fact that I have been losing my sanity over the course of the last few years. I can become easily paranoid whenever something enters my area of thought which is why I lashed out against you two fellow Deku Scrubs, and as a result I questioned your loyalty without even taking a moment to figure out who you are and what you were doing in this part of Woodfall.

You two have to be really brave to attempt to make your way around the swamp what with all of the problems that have arisen between the two sides." Insane Deku then scratched his head which made me wonder if what he was saying was actually the truth and not something that he came up just because he was an unbalanced character. Now I can see why he was given such a nickname like that for he continued to twitch about as though he were trying to scratch something that wasn't really there.

" It looks peaceful around here," said Takato.

" Once the two sides resume their fighting then you'll see why this place isn't as safe as you believe it to be," said Insane Deku.

" Can you tell us what has been going on since we left the swamp?" asked Takato.

" The old hag known as Koume has been watching the conflict spread itself out for some time now so she might have told you a lot about what is going on with the tribe assuming that you spoke to her. I assume that you have spoken with her which is why I shall provide you with the insight that she doesn't know about. This area of Woodfall has become a battle zone with those loyal to the Deku King and those loyal to the Deku Faction have faced one another in combat utilizing all that the Deku Scrubs are capable of.

You might not be able to see any remnants of such conflicts right now, but you'll see them soon enough once the two sides have found a reason to resume the fighting. The Deku Faction so far have been winning the majority of the conflicts due to the vast numbers among them consist of Dekus around your age who are oblivious to what our king has done for the good of the tribe, and fight to have a better future for them without even realizing their own heritage.

Those young scrubs are ignorant at best for they don't understand what we of the older generation have experienced during the reign of our king, and instead all they see is a ruler who has ruined the face of the tribe and strive to remove him from power," replied Insane Deku.

" Neither one of us are ignorant," said Takato.

" You wouldn't be for you haven't been involved in the conflict as much as I have," said Insane Deku.

" So why are you out here?" asked Takato.

" Due to our numbers being small when compared to the numbers within the Deku Faction, we have had to rely on some of the more unusual Deku Scrubs in order to protect the palace and the Deku King. I, who have been known far and wide throughout Woodfall for having lost most of my sanity have been charged with defending this area from the rebellious ones of the faction. They actually insisted that I be out here despite the fact that I am a danger to everyone on both sides all because of my lack of control over my actions," replied Insane Deku.

Upon hearing those words I had assumed that the Deku King had placed this disturbed Deku out here as a way of keeping him out of trouble, but I didn't expect him to say that the reason he was out here was to defend the palace from the faction. I guess the king was really desperate to have all available Dekus on hand to protect the palace that he ignored the fact that certain members of his tribe were behaving in an odd fashion.

One had to wonder how Takato and Rika were going to fit in with the conflict for they were outsiders trying to fit in with the crowd, and that the crowd was one that they didn't know that much about despite having been given so much information already.

" You have to question the ethics of the Deku King," commented Rika.

" I have to agree with you there my young Deku lady for one has to wonder if the king has lost his mind in the same fashion that I have done," said Insane Deku.

" Why did you say that to him?" asked Takato as he pulled Rika to the side for a moment.

" The Deku King's judgment can be placed into question when you see that he had to assign some of the most disturbed Dekus within the tribe to tasks that will determine whether they survive the conflict or not. You don't have to question my actions goggle-head for I know what I'm doing," replied Rika.

" It had to be done in order to make up for the lack of numbers," said Takato.

" Not our problem," said Rika.

" You really like pressing my buttons don't you?" asked Takato.

" I'm only playing around with you so there's no need to start thinking along those lines goggle-head. I know that the Deku King had no choice but to call on the services of those like this guy over there, but I wanted to see if he really was telling the truth in that he had been losing his sanity over the years. My conclusion is that he is telling the truth as someone who is loyal to the Deku King would never question his decisions unless he wasn't feeling right in the head.

The Deku Faction must really be leaving a hard toll on those loyal to the king for this guy sounds as though he has lost the will to do anything for himself anymore, and because the majority of the faction comprises of young Deku Scrubs much like you and I are they have plenty of resources to turn to while the other side is lacking in it," replied Rika.

" You could have told that to me before I pulled you aside," said Takato.

" And ruin a good chance to mess around with your head?" asked Rika.

" Never mind," sighed Takato.

" Now that you know a little bit more about the problem that exists amongst the Dekus, you can finally answer my question for you know the names of the two sides," said Insane Deku. Takato and Rika had been so busy arguing that they both forgot that Insane Deku was still there and had found the perfect reason to bring up that question again. Such a strange twist caught them both by surprise for neither of them realized that this Deku was persistent when it came down to answering to his questions.

I guess that even those who have personal problems are able to act like their normal selves despite the problems they have in life. Guilmon had since started to growl and I had to quickly cover his mouth with my hand in order to stop him from revealing our location. The two of us were supposed to remain hidden among the flora and fauna so that we could stay close to the sides of our Tamers, and his growling was putting that arrangement into jeopardy which made me question if Guilmon had indeed improved a lot over the years from what he was like back in the beginning.

" Since we haven't been back here for a long time you might say that we are on neither side," said Takato.

" Then you will need to quickly choose a side," began Insane Deku.

" I think we all know where that road will lead," sighed Takato.

" We are on the side of the Deku King!" announced Rika. This was another first for Rika as usually Takato would be the one to make such a boastful statement like that for that was the kind of person he is. It looks as though Rika is beginning to acquire some of his mannerisms which makes me wonder if the two of them are truly destined to be together.

" That means that I can see you two as friends and not enemies," said Insane Deku.

" What was that for?" asked Takato as he pulled Rika aside yet again.

" We need to go about our business without getting into any kind of trouble so what better way than to join the side of the Deku King. After all he is still the king of the Deku Tribe which means that his monarchy has to remain in power and the Deku Faction has to be brought down at any cost. If I had said that we were on the side of the faction then this nut-case would have thrown us in the river without question, and we would have been killed in an instant due to the fact that Deku Scrubs can't swim in water.

There was no chance of us walking around being on neither side Takato as all that would have done is placed some unwanted pressure on us which is what we don't need right now if we are to resolve this conflict. People can be very suspicious of those who refuse to be on anyone's side as you never know when they will crack and wind up placing their loyalty towards whatever they believe in the most," replied Rika.

" So by joining the side of the Deku King we can go about our business without having to explain ourselves?" asked Takato.

" That and maybe get some information from the king himself," replied Rika.

" Commoners are usually not allowed to speak with the king directly for he sees us as being beneath him," said Takato.

" With the problems he has on his hands right now I am willing to believe that he will want to speak to just about anyone in order to provide himself with some much-needed comfort," said Rika.

" What about Insane Deku?" asked Takato.

" Let me finish up our conversation with him otherwise you might end up saying something that will land us in the river," replied Rika as she turned her attention towards Insane Deku who had since become agitated over the fact that both Takato and Rika had spoken to one another in private for the second time. " As we have decided to fight in the name of the Deku King, would you mind telling us as to which way it is towards the palace?"

" The palace lies beyond this area of fallen trees," replied Insane Deku.

" Is that all?" asked Rika.

" Yes," replied Insane Deku.

" Couldn't you provide us with one additional piece of advice?" asked Rika.

" The Deku King right now is struggling to maintain control of the situation for those loyal to him are beginning to understand where the Deku Faction is coming from with regards to their demands. Such Dekus don't deserve to be by his side if they question the leadership of the one who holds command over the tribe, but then again I suppose they do have their reasons for thinking that way about him for he has done some questionable acts in the past such as blaming that innocent Monkey.

Now would be a good time to talk to him for he is willing to listen to commoners such as yourselves although he will become very happy if he is told of ways that will bring about an end to this conflict and reunite the entire tribe back together again. I'd come with you to speak to the king but I have to stay here and defend this area with the best of my abilities even though I do wonder as to why I was told to be here despite my issues," replied Insane Deku.

Those final words were more than enough to convince Takato and Rika to take their leave of him before he ends up getting even worse about himself. Guilmon and I who had been watching from the safety of the flowers followed along behind them and provided the occasional signal to indicate that we were still behind them. Many of the trees in this part of Woodfall had collapsed due to natural disasters having hit the region over the years, but the signs of conflict were all too present for these same fallen trees have been receiving additional damage coming from the war-like ambitions of the two sides.

After struggling for quite a while overcoming the many trees that littered about the area, we came upon a large building which had to be the Deku Palace itself for there could be no other place which would fit the description.

" This place isn't that impressive," moaned Rika.

" Don't forget that this world is different from our own so do expect there to be some drawbacks," said Takato.

" Shouldn't there be a guard on duty?" asked Rika.

" This entrance doesn't go straight into the palace but rather it leads to the moat where there is a bridge that will take us to an island in which the palace rests on. There are two guards on patrol on the other side of the bridge with the vast majority of the guards situated in two large areas patrolling the area to make sure that no one strays off the beaten path. The Deku King doesn't allow anyone to enter those two large areas and the guards take that seriously by kicking you out of the palace and onto the bridge," replied Takato.

" And how did you figure all that out?" asked Rika.

" By playing my video game," replied Takato.

" You are relying on that game of yours again?" asked Rika.

" It has helped us out in the past," replied Takato.

" That was because we were unaware that this version of Termina is real as opposed to the one that exists in the Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask. Just because what happened in the game doesn't mean it is going to happen here in this version for we have already experienced some of the changes between that game and this place. Maybe the Deku King will allow us commoners to explore those areas that he deemed forbidden in the game and maybe the guards that you mentioned are different this time around," said Rika.

" Okay so I overdo it with the game connections," said Takato.

" Don't stop with them though as I enjoy doing this sort of thing with you," smiled Rika. Once again Takato fell for Rika's charms and he had no idea that she had gone and done that to him. I was very impressed by how much she has changed since those early days although Guilmon was trying to understand what just happened for it all came a little too quickly for his mind to follow.

Our Tamers gave us a sign that they would enter the palace via the main entrance while the two of us were to climb onto the roof and take shelter in the first available place that would keep us hidden from the Deku Scrubs located inside. Because Guilmon lacked the ability to climb up walls I had to throw him up as hard as I could much like what I did with Takato although Guilmon was much harder to work with due to his weight being greater than what Takato's was.

Takato and Rika entered the entrance and found themselves staring at a river that flowed around the palace as though it were cutting it off from the rest of the region. The water was a clear blue which made for a nice change of pace for Rika had commented that she didn't want to swim about in the water that we encountered back towards the beginning of Woodfall. On the other side of the bridge was a lone Deku guard who looked rather bored to say the least, yet Takato found this strange for in the video game there was supposed to be two guards blocking the way rather than the one.

Rika once again told him that what happened in the video game doesn't necessarily mean that it will be the same in the real version.

" How did you two make it all the way here?" asked the Deku Guard.

" We have pledged our loyalty towards the Deku King," replied Rika.

" That still doesn't explain as to how you were able to get past the defences that we placed on the path with the fallen trees," said the Deku Guard.

" It was being guarded by Insane Deku," said Rika.

" Now that explains everything as that guy always did have problems placing the well-being of the tribe ahead of his own personal problems. I welcome you two to the Deku Palace for you look as though you haven't seen this place for many years which makes me suspect that you moved away years ago and have since returned to aid the Deku King. Normally we wouldn't allow commoners such as yourselves inside the palace but because of the conflict with the Deku Faction we have been needing the support of all the Dekus who have remained by the side of the king.

What I am essentially saying is that you two are more than welcome to venture forth into the palace for your presence should please the king greatly," said the Deku Guard.

" What about the large areas within the palace?" asked Takato.

" Those two areas were once off-limits to the likes of you but they have since been opened to the public so that they can be surrounded by the lush wonders of Woodfall without having to see the chaos that exists beyond these very walls. You two can visit those places later for right now you must go and meet with the Deku King for that is the proper respect that must be given towards him. I shall summon some additional guards to escort you to his private chambers so that you can get your meeting with him out of the way.

No need to feel threatened despite the fact that it looks as though you are being taken prisoner against your own will, but know that what we are doing is just the standard procedure that we use when newcomers enter the Deku Palace," replied the Deku Guard.

To Be Continued.

Author's Note: I thought that I would end this chapter with yet another cliff-hanger, yet this one appears as one thing and acts like something else which is what I had intended to do. There were some more moments between Takato and Rika that were a mixture of love, arguing, and sheer tolerance of one another. Don't feel bad about Guilmon and Renamon not getting much to say for they will soon become active within the proceedings once the fun part starts.


	15. Madness of the Deku King

Takato and Rika in Termina

By Ganondorf8

Madness of the Deku King

Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon, Digimon Tamers, The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, or anything else that is associated through a disclaimer. Any original characters you see (and there will be some) are copyrighted to me because that is something that I can do.

Author's Note: The name of this chapter does give away the general idea of how this is going to work, but note that I won't overdo it otherwise that would be going against the Deku King character. I do have another idea I want to use but I'm going to save it for the next chapter, but I will bring it up at the end through Guilmon experiencing it. I think some of you might know which character I am going to bring into the story who comes from Termina.

Takato's POV

Rika and I were being escorted personally by a number of Deku Guards in order to speak to the Deku King, yet despite what they said about it being a situation where we have been taken prisoner, it did feel like we were being led down the path one takes before they get thrown into some kind of dungeon where they spend the rest of their lives.

I simply kept quiet knowing that any kind of reaction could cause them to think that we came here to eliminate the Deku King, but Rika had this strong urge to pick a fight with one of the guards over how we were being treated.

Once again her brash attitude was clouding up her mind, so I had to remind her constantly that resorting to such violence within a royal palace is nothing short of suicide for us both.

The guards refused to talk to us for they said that their sole purpose was to bring us before the king due to being newcomers to the palace, but when I asked Rika about what she thought was wrong with the Deku King due to the conflict, one of the guards pulled me aside and began to reveal some information that the other guards appeared to not want to bring up.

He told me that the king hasn't been himself as of late ever since the assassination attempt on his life had taken place.

The Deku King had been acting in a paranoid fashion thinking that he could be attacked again which is why he has never left his private chambers, and it is also why he came up with the procedure where new Deku Scrubs to the palace have to present themselves before him so that he can be sure if they are loyal to him.

The Deku Guard also said that the king has been unleashing various fits of madness which have made him unstable, and because of this the Deku Princess has begun to wonder if her father should in fact abdicate the throne as a means of saving whatever remains of his sanity.

The Deku King according to the guard has refused any and all notions of the idea of giving up his throne for he says that doing so would ensure the Deku Faction's victory, and cause the downfall of the tribe if they were to assume control.

We soon arrived at a large wooden door that had been engraved with a strange symbol which must have something to do with the king, and the guard who had been speaking to me all this time in private decided to knock on the door in order to let the king know that he had some guests.

" Who's out there?"

" We have brought you some new Deku Scrubs who have come to the palace," replied the Deku Guard.

" How many have you brought this time?"

" Just two," replied the Deku Guard.

" You have interrupted my personal time just to tell me that only two Deku Scrubs have come to see me?

If you had said that you had brought a dozen or so Dekus then I would have been more sympathetic with you, but since you have brought me such an insignificant number I have this strong urge to throw you into the dungeon just because I feel like it!

Guards, remove yourselves from my door as you have displeased your king but ask these two Dekus to come inside my private chambers without fail otherwise I might decide to throw them into the dungeon with you."

" Well, you two heard what the Deku King said so you might as well comply with his wishes if you want to survive here," said the Deku Guard.

Hearing the Deku King talk that way about his own guards reminds me of what his character was like in the Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask.

In that game he spoke as though he was superior to everyone else which was true in a sense in that he was the leader of the Deku Tribe, but hearing him speak the way he did made me think about what the guard had told me before we arrived.

The king hadn't been himself for a long time and it sounds like his condition has only gotten worse over time with no signs that it was going to get better. Rika and I entered his chambers where we came face to face with a large throne carved out of wood with a fireplace of some kind some meters in front of it.

The rest of the room didn't have much in the way of decor and judging from the dust that could be seen all around the area, the king hadn't left for some time and has allowed his personal quarters to become uninhabitable.

" The king does have issues," I said to Rika in silence.

" What do you expect when your life was in danger of being brought to an end? This guy has been hiding out in his own chambers for he fears being targeted again so you can't really blame him for acting in this ridiculous fashion.

What he said about throwing us into the dungeon makes me want to kick the daylights out of him, but I suppose that I could let it slide just this one so long as he doesn't bring it up again," said Rika.

" You do have to wonder just what he has been doing to keep himself from losing his mind entirely," I said.

" From what we have heard about the Deku King from all those people we've met, he tends to act without taking the time to think about his actions which is why the Deku Faction came into existence because of how he has ruled over the tribe.

If you think about it for a moment goggle-head the Deku King essentially began this whole conflict all because of his attitude although you do have to admit that he had no intention of starting up something like this.

I'm guessing that he still acts out without taking the time to think it through although these days his mind has probably become filled with all kinds of strange allusions which have made him unstable," said Rika.

" It makes you think real hard about your safety doesn't it?" I asked.

" Which is why I should do all of the talking," replied Rika.

" And that doesn't surprise me in the least," I sighed.

" We're dealing with a king who hasn't been feeling well in the head for months so we need to speak to him in the right fashion in order to avoid any problems. I'm good at speaking to people of his calibre so just leave the talking to me unless you need to say something that is very important to our cause.

That means don't bring up the video game at any time for that would just make things even more complicated," moaned Rika.

" So where do you think the king is?" I asked.

" I have this feeling that he's behind the throne protecting himself in case he gets attacked," replied Rika. Her suspicion proved to be exactly right for sitting behind the throne was the Deku King and he certainly didn't look like the mighty ruler of the Deku tribe as seen in the game.

He was swinging his sceptre around as a means of protecting himself and his sunken eyes indicate that he hadn't received much in the way of sleep.

" He looks really stressed out," I commented.

" More like his lack of sleep combined with what he went through has left him in a paranoid state," said Rika.

" Just like what that guard said," I commented.

" Is that what you two were talking about?" asked Rika.

" When you and I mentioned the king's actions he took me aside and told me about the problems he's been having," I replied.

" You could have shared that information with me before we were told to enter these chambers," moaned Rika and it was at that moment when the Deku King had finally turned his attention towards us, and he looked even worse than what we suspected when we looked directly into his face as opposed to the side view that we saw before.

Not only was his carrying around that sceptre he was also carrying around what appeared to be a giant club made from some kind of strong wood.

Normally you would never see a king carry something like that on his person unless he was one of those warrior-type kings you hear about, but here he was with this club by his side which I strongly suspected was used to protect him from any would-be attackers.

I doubt that he has actually had the chance to use it when you consider that he has sealed himself up in his own private chambers, but then he is in a paranoid state which makes him believe that he could be attacked at any moment by just about anyone who happens to come into his rooms.

" Who are you?" asked the Deku King.

" I am Rika and this is my friend Takato," replied Rika.

" Such strange names for Deku Scrubs but then who am I to make such a judgment like that?" asked the Deku King.

" Actually, you can question the reasons for our names for you are our king," replied Rika.

" That's right! I can question you about your names for I am your king and my word around here is law! You two do possess unusual names for Dekus but then I suppose that this makes sense when you consider that you two left Woodfall a long time ago only to return to the safety of the swamp recently," said the Deku King.

" How did you know about that?" asked Rika.

" Know about what?" asked the Deku King.

" About the two of us having come from the outside," replied Rika.

" I have many loyal Deku Scrubs who provide me information about all things that come and go from the swamp although I am not sure if I can believe what they are saying to me.

They could have been providing me with false information in an attempt to confuse me so that they could turn on me and take my throne in the name of that Deku Faction who have challenged my reign over the Dekus which has been strong for such a long time," said the Deku King.

" You don't suspect your own loyal guards to betray you do you?" asked Rika.

" One can never tell what one is capable of given the circumstances, but then that brings me to the two of you whom I commanded to come before me.

You two claim that you are loyal to me but then that could also be a ruse and that your true purpose for coming here is to assassinate me in order for the Deku Faction to succeed in their morbid desire to change the monarchy of the tribe in order to suit their needs," replied the Deku King.

He may be the ruler of the Deku Tribe, but right now he was anything but that what with his constant babbling about people turning against him when they said they were loyal to him all the way.

Just hearing him say all of these accusations makes me wonder as to just how unstable he really is, and what that guard told me about the concerns of the Deku Princess can now be played into the overall equation.

She feared that her father would end up like this one day due to what happened to him which is why she suggested that he give up the throne before he ends up getting worse.

The Deku King of course would never give up his throne just like that for he is a proud man who would fight right to the very end in order to keep his position. I wanted to make a comment about this but Rika did tell me to keep quiet unless I had some really important to say.

" We are loyal to you mighty Deku King," began Rika.

" You're just saying that in order to get in on my good graces," said the Deku King.

" We really do mean what we say about us being loyal to you," said Rika.

" I don't know for words have all kinds of meanings," said the Deku King.

" Maybe we can be tested to ensure our loyalty," I suggested before Rika turned her attention towards me and gave me a glare so cold that it could kill a man within mere seconds.

This caused the king to start thinking about what I had just said which was a first for me as he usually just did what he thought was best without taking the time to reflect upon it.

Rika took me aside and began to scold me for speaking without saying anything important, but then I countered back by saying that if we can prove to the Deku King that we are on his side, we might be able to gain some valuable information which could help us resolve this conflict.

Her expression changed from one of anger to one of happiness when she admitted that I did know what I was doing at times and gave me an apology followed by a quick kiss on the cheek without the king realizing what we were doing.

" Let me stand on you," announced the Deku King.

" Excuse me?" asked Rika.

" Allow my royal self to stand on top of you for if you can make for comfortable stools for just a few minutes then I know that you can be trusted," replied the Deku King.

Rika completely despised the idea of being used as a stepping stone for someone else and I agreed with her for the thought of being a stool for a crazy king was enough to make me wonder if this was worth it.

We both agreed to his request despite our resentment of being treated as furniture, and so the king forced us down onto our hands and knees before setting one foot on top of our respective backs and standing upright in a regal fashion.

For those few minutes where he stood on top of us he began to talk to himself about how great a king he was among the Deku with the occasional babbling about watching his back at all times in case he were to be attacked by those close to him.

Rika and I moaned to one another in silence over how humiliating this was before he finally decided to get off us allowing us to get back onto our feet. " You two make for such interesting stools and not once did you complain about what you had to go through in order to please me.

If you had complained even just the once then you would have been branded as traitors thus I would have had the guards throw you into the dungeon, but since you stayed the course you have proven yourselves to be worthy which is why I will be able to speak to you about the problems we have around here."

" You mean the conflict right?" asked Rika.

" Who told you?" asked the Deku King.

" News about the conflict has spread throughout and beyond Woodfall and the two of us were able to pick up on it," replied Rika.

" Then it seems that the problem has only escalated for I had wanted this problem to remain isolated with the region.

The other tribes that exist in Termina look down upon us Dekus for what we have done in the past with regards to the various treaties we have signed, and if they deem that the conflict amongst us Dekus threatens their respective tribes then they could send in those whose only purpose is to bring about a peaceful resolution through forceful measures.

I have spoken to the leaders of the other tribes and asked them for more time, but it seems that our time is almost up for my recent communication with the leaders resulted in this ultimatum," said the Deku King.

" We both know that the assassination attempt on your life sparked much of the problem so why has it escalated ever since?" asked Rika.

" The Deku Faction comprises of many young Dekus who believe the words of the one who tried to end my life; these words focus on wanting a better future for the tribe by replacing me with a monarch who is capable of leading the tribe in a just manner.

The one who made the attempt on my life has always been furious with how I have reigned all because I have the tendency to act out without taking the time to think things through, and it is because of my attitude in power that he began his bid to have me overthrown by rallying those who thought along his lines.

I know that I do act harshly but then that is the kind of person that I am, and I can't really change something that has been a part of me for so many years," replied the Deku King.

" Does he have a name?" asked Rika.

" Who?" asked the Deku King.

" The Deku who tried to kill you," replied Rika.

" He is known by the name Ebonaru which means in our language "he who is wild and full of creative ideas" which makes a lot of sense when you realize what he has been doing.

He was influenced by two individuals whom he said he respects more than any of the legendary Deku Scrubs who existed long before any of us were born into this world.

One of his admirers is a guy named Ganondorf who he says is the one that inspired him to begin the rebellion against my monarchy, and the other is some character who came to Woodfall some time ago wearing clothing that covered up his identity which made people suspicious of his nature.

All that is known about this character is that he influenced Ebonaru into starting the rebellion by saying certain words," said the Deku King.

" Did this guy have some kind of sadistic nature?" asked Rika.

" He did which I thought was rather unusual," replied the Deku King. Rika and I then quickly came to the conclusion that this character was the same one who us turned into Deku Scrubs when we first arrived in Termina.

This meant that our mysterious enemy was attempting to cause problems for this world in a manner similar to what the Skull Kid did in the video game, but the key difference is that this mystery man is taking things to extremes that the Skull Kid never once attempted to perform.

Yamataromon said that we would figure out where to go but I wonder if he knows more about this character than what he is saying.

Digimon do have their secrets which they like to keep close to themselves and if he does know something about our enemy, why is he keeping it a secret from us for if we knew about it then we could stop all of this madness before it gets worse.

" Maybe we can resolve this problem before the other tribes decide to get involved," said Rika.

" I have tried speaking with Ebonaru in the hopes that we could avoid any future conflicts but he insisted that he and his faction will continue with their struggle until they have succeeded in removing me from my throne.

Words will not work against someone like him for he is a strong believer in using force in order to get his point across," said the Deku King.

" Perhaps the two of us can speak to him in order to put an end to the conflict," suggested Rika.

" Why would you want to do that?" asked the Deku King.

" So that peace can return to Woodfall," replied Rika.

" You two Deku Scrubs are rather brave in nature which has me thinking about the past when a Deku similar to you rescued my daughter from the temple that exists within the pink mountain that rises above the sea of trees that comprises of our region.

If you think that you can resolve the conflict then I implore you to do so in the name of your king! But I have to make sure that you will carry out your pledge otherwise you could secretly turn against me and side with the Deku Faction to which what I have told you will become known to Ebonaru.

I shall place these special golden bands on your wrists which will act as an indicator which will inform me as to where your current loyalties stand. Should you wind up ever thinking about fighting on the side of the faction then these bands will glow causing you a great deal of pain; the bigger the thought the more painful it becomes.

These bands can and will take your lives should you actually fight on the side of Ebonaru which I consider to be the ultimate act of betrayal so know that you have been warned of these matters.

If you are successful in your mission then the bands will just fall off as though they were harmless allowing you to carry on with your lives however you see fit," said the Deku King.

" Isn't this kind of excessive?" asked Rika.

" I take no chances," replied the Deku King.

" So what do you want us both to do considering that you have drafted us both with these bands of yours?" asked Rika.

" On the other side of the river where there exists an ancient house there is a small fortress which houses those who are of the Deku Faction. The fortress isn't what I would call impressive but then it was constructed within a matter of days so you can give them props for being very diligent in their work ethic.

Anyway you are to make your way there in order to infiltrate the fortress so that you can confront Ebonaru in the hopes that you can bring about an end to the conflict before it winds up taking all of Termina down with it," replied the Deku King.

" So we're acting like spies?" asked Rika.

" Acting?" asked the Deku King.

" Never mind," replied Rika and with that she finally had enough with the Deku King's constant asking of questions which had to do with the current state he was in.

All of this was starting to act out like we were in some kind of James Bond movie except all of that was made for people who love spies and movies while what we were going to do was more along the lines of real-life.

At that moment I was beginning to think about Guilmon and Renamon who were waiting for us somewhere outside without a single thing for them to do. If only they had the ability to use our masks then all four of us could be standing here before the Deku King rather than it just being the two of us in that position.

What I didn't realize due to focusing my efforts on trying to come to terms with what the king has instructed us to do was that our partners were about to have their own encounter with another resident of Termina.

" They have been there for a long time," commented Guilmon.

" We have to remain hopeful that our Tamers are okay for they are in good hands," said Renamon.

" Those guards who took them away didn't look like they had good hands," said Guilmon.

" Must you always take things so literally?" asked Renamon.

" I am still a growing Digimon and for that I have much to learn," replied Guilmon.

" You and Takato have been partners for years and after all this time you still have those child-like moments?

I thought that you would have matured by now Guilmon but then this is what I should have expected from a Tamer who still has fantasies like the kind Takato dreams up," said Renamon.

" Don't you have any child-like moments?" asked Guilmon.

" I have no need of such things for my time with Rika was to build a strong bond of friendship as well as to become stronger," replied Renamon.

" Maybe we should change the subject before we both end up trying to beat up one another," suggested Guilmon.

" It will be difficult for us to talk about something else for there isn't much either of us can do for we must remain hidden from the Deku Scrubs," said Renamon.

" We can always talk to this character behind me who has been drawing something on a piece of paper. He is dressed in a very funny manner and what he says makes me want to laugh out as loud as possible, but I suppose that he could make for an interesting conversationalist if you can overcome the appearance," said Guilmon.

To Be Continued.

Author's Note: I think I might have given away the identity of this character Guilmon refers to, but he needs to be included in the story as he does play somewhat of a role within the actual game. Also, I forgot to mention in the last chapter the name of the faction is called the "Deku Faction" although I am sure that you knew this what with the constant references made to that name.

Finally, I mentioned Ganondorf once again although this one is a very brief mention which will connect to the next few chapters and maybe even more of the story itself. The next chapter will focus more on the building relationship that Takato and Rika are forging with their feelings towards one another.


	16. The 35 Year Old Without a Fairy

  
Takato and Rika in Termina 

By Ganondorf8

The 35 Year Old Without a Fairy

Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon, Digimon Tamers, The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, or anything else that is associated through a disclaimer. Any original characters you see (and there will be some) are copyrighted to me because that is something that I can do.

Author's Note: Who is this is mystery character that Guilmon was referring to in the last chapter? The chapter title essentially gives it away but you can always just read into the first few lines in order to find out.

Guilmon's POV

Renamon's reaction to this character standing behind us was one that I had never seen her perform before. She looked as though she had seen her deepest fears come to life which followed by her body shaking rather badly which made me wonder as to what was going on. This character didn't seem like someone who would want to hurt us for he was dressed in some kind of green outfit that made him look like some kind of fairy, and his nose looked really funny which made me want to laugh at it just because it was different compared to the rest of his funny outfit.

I asked Renamon as to why she was going through all of those reactions and she told me that this man had probably been listening in on our conversation which meant that he now knows that we are Digimon and not simply traveling pilgrims which is what we want people to assume.

" Excuse me good sir and madam but I did not mean to intrude upon you."  
" Who are you referring to as sir and madam?" I asked this character for neither Renamon and me were of noble heritage.

" You two appear to be travelers of a grand family which is why I associated you with the titles that come with being of such high standards. If you are worried that I was listening in on something important, then you can put those fears to rest for I was concentrating on my efforts to create this new map for the Woodfall region. My good sir those Deku Scrubs have changed much in the way of what was here the last time I had to draw a map for this region, and because of them here I am forced to readjust my maps so that I may be able to sell them to anyone who just so happens to need them.

An example of such a change would be the fact that some of the more aggressive members of the Deku Tribe went and constructed a small fortress that lies not far from the Deku Palace. This fortress never used to exist sir but ever since the Deku Faction came along with that Ebonaru character leading them, things have only gotten worse in Woodfall which is why only the bravest dare to come this far."

" Does that mean that you're brave?" I asked.

" Since my profession is to create maps I must venture forth into these dangerous places so that I may provide my service to the community in general sir. I have been coming into this area quite a few times in order to complete the process of creating the map of the region where the Deku Palace is located, and many times I have been targeted by the constant barrages of the Deku Faction as they strive to overthrow the Deku King and usurp the throne away from the current monarchy.

The creatures that once thrived in this area have all fled as they do not wish to get involved in the conflict that has spawned between the two sides."

" You know about the conflict?" I asked.

" This problem has reached the attention of the other tribes sir for they see the conflict here in Woodfall as being a problem that could spread to their respective tribes in case those who are discontent decide to rise up against those that have been given the title of leader. Rumours have been spreading across the land that the other tribes plan on sending representatives in order to quell the problem before it has a chance to get any worse, but then I have heard sir that should these individuals fail to calm the tensions that exist between the two sides then they will resort to much stronger means.

The Gorons are well-known for their tremendous strength while the Zora are known for they amazing agility in and out of water, and the humans are known for their inventive minds so if all the other tribes come together, the Deku Tribe could be wiped out of existence all because of the conflict." Takato and Rika were still in their Deku Scrub forms the last time we saw them, and that could mean that they could be wiped out as well for the other tribes will just see them as Dekus who are involved with the conflict.

It makes me wish that the two of us Digimon were inside of that palace by their sides, but then at the same time being out here with this character us also a blessing for he has given us a warning as to what the other tribes plan on doing. No doubt in my mind that we shall encounter the Gorons and the Zora as we continue our way through Termina, but I would prefer it if we were to meet them in more hospitable conditions as opposed to the one that appears to be happening. Renamon and I were just about to thank this character for the warning when the hood that had been covering my face lowered long enough for my nose to be exposed.

" You have such an unusual nose sir that it makes you appear as not being human at all...could this mean that you are perhaps one of the few remaining creatures of the forest who have decided to stay."

" Um...I...well...er," I said.

" Forest creatures that are capable of speech are standing right before me. This is a happy day for me sir and madam for I have been wanting to converse with forest creatures such as yourselves for quite a long time now. You see I believe that I am similar to you in that I am one who is with the forest, and that I am destined to receive my own fairy companion one of these days.

Alas I have not yet received a fairy partner of my own and I am at the age of 35 where you would think that I was much too old to be thinking about fairies and other magical creatures. Many times has my father told me to stop with all of this nonsense yet I shall not yield my stance for I know that one day I shall receive a fairy and prove myself to be a worthy denizen of the forest."

" Who are you?" asked Renamon.

" So you can talk as well?"

" Of course I can talk and I've been doing so for as long as I can remember," replied Renamon.

" My name is Tingle and I believe that I am the very reincarnation of a fairy-folk madam for I have much in common with the way forest creatures such as yourselves behave. Madam, I believe that I can assist you with your problems for you appear to be having some kind of difficulty."

" All you can do is create maps," moaned Renamon.

" Maps that can help any and all those who find themselves lost in a place that they know very little about. You see madam I am skilled in the art of creating maps for my maps are so clear and concise that even the simplest of creatures can understand what it is that I am providing to them through my maps. You and your friend here appear as though you are lost in this part of Woodfall without any means as to figure out which way you wish to travel to next, and it is fortunate that you happened to have chanced upon me for I shall be able to aid you by giving you a map of the area," said Tingle.

" What do we need a map for?" asked Renamon.

" In order to find the location of the Deku Faction's fortress," replied Tingle.

" Okay, you do make a good point there in that we have no idea as to where the fortress is which means that we do need a map in order to find our way around. I suppose that you still need some time in order to finish the current map that you are making?" asked Renamon.

" It is always a good idea to prepare extra maps just in case you happen to attract some really good business on any given day. The map that I am currently working on is the seventh one that I have made for this area with the other six maps currently residing in this back-pack that I happen to carry on my person. You two could use one of Tingle's maps for I feel that you will need to search high and low if you are to find the fortress that the Deku Faction call home.

Even though I did provide a general direction as to the location of this fortress without using a map, the exact location can be found on my six completed maps for I did take the liberty of jotting it down during one of my many trips to this part of Woodfall. So will you buy one of Tingle's maps?" asked Tingle. This character didn't look like one of the regular humans that we have been encountering ever since we arrived in Termina, and it makes me think of him as either being someone who is very unique, or someone who has lost his sanity a long time ago and behaves in such a manner.

He was correct in that we could do with a map of the swamp for that would help us make our way around, and it would make Takato and Rika very happy knowing that we were able to secure ourselves a map. Renamon admitted that the two of us needed a map and so she told him that yes she would buy one of his maps which made him very happy for someone who looked like he was some kind of funny clown.

Tingle got onto the floor by sitting down in front of us before taking the back-pack he had on his back and opening it up while Renamon and I also got onto the floor for we had to make a good impression on him.

" So which map do we need?" asked Renamon.

" These six maps right here provide the entire Woodfall region which can be very helpful to those who plan on exploring every last portion of the area which is what I assume that you will be doing madam along with your friend here. The maps next to my back-pack are for Clock Town and the Snowhead region although I don't think that you will be needing either one of these for the time being for they are not very useful around here. It is always a good idea to carry around extra supplies as you never know when someone might want to purchase a map of another area of Termina.

You should know sir and madam that I do not give away these maps for free for I must be paid in rupees if I am to provide you with one of my maps. I only charge 5 rupees for buying a map that is for the area that you happen to be in when you happen to speak to me, so the map for Woodfall is very inexpensive which may be exactly what you need to hear if you are one of those individuals who likes to conserve money.

If for some reason you wish to buy a map for a region that exists beyond Woodfall then you must pay a much higher price which is usually within the 35 rupee range for I consider such a purchase like that to be beyond the normal borders," replied Tingle.

" Then we will take the Woodfall Map," announced Renamon.

" Do you have 5 rupees?" asked Tingle. We were lucky that Rika decided to give the wallet containing all of our money over to Renamon after receiving it from Takato when she saw him throwing it into the air as though it were some kind of throw toy. She handed over the 5 rupees for the map which made me feel relaxed knowing that we now had a proper means with which to explore Woodfall rather than just attempting to find what we need by walking around aimlessly until we find it.

Renamon suddenly handed over an additional 15 rupees which made me wonder if she was planning on wanting to purchase half a map of one of the others Tingle had in stock. I was about to ask her why she would hand over our riches for no reason until she started speaking about wanting to know of any information that Tingle might have with regards to the Deku Faction. It soon became clear to me that Tingle had been in this area plenty of times in the past which means that he has a strong knowledge of what has been going on around here for the last few months.

People are known for not wanting to share their information for free which is why she gave him the extra as a means of getting him to talk...and that is exactly what Tingle did upon first glance. " You wish to give me extra rupees so that I may be able to provide you with some information? Madam, you do have a strange means behind the way you work."

" Since you've said to us that you've been in this area many times in order to record information for your map-making, I assume that you know what's been going on around here with regards to what the Deku Scrubs have been doing. I'm giving you these extra rupees in order for you to share with us what you know without the need of having to resort to much stronger measures if you know what I mean.

My original intention was to find some way to beat the information out of you in case you happened to be some kind of spy, but after you were so kind to us I knew that paying you the extra rupees would be the better way for me to handle the situation. I just hope for your sake that what you provide us will be of great value," said Renamon.

" I have seen many things taking place within this part of Woodfall ever since the conflict first began, and believe me madam when I say that there is a strange presence that holds a tight grip on the Dekus. The Deku Faction under the leadership of Ebonaru never used to show any kind of displeasure towards the Deku King despite the fact that he is well-known for making decisions without taking the time to think them through.

They continued to remain loyal to their king even though they knew that his actions did cause some unrest among the other tribes, but then one day it all changed just like that and Ebonaru began to see the Deku King in a different limelight than before. They say that a strange man appeared before Ebonaru and convinced him to start taking a deeper look at what the king had been doing," said Tingle.

" What did this man look like?" asked Renamon.

" He was wearing some kind of strange cloak that covered his face according to what some of the Dekus have been saying, so the actual identity of this man is something that I don't know other than it was he who started the chain of events which have let us to this moment where the conflict has gone out of control," replied Tingle.

" Ebonaru was influenced by someone who either lives in Woodfall and wanted to see it destroyed for unknown reasons, or he comes from another region and wishes to see the entire Deku tribe wiped out of existence again for unknown reasons. My guess is that Ebonaru always held a strong grudge towards the Deku King but he never had the incentive to reveal this truth knowing that doing so without any kind of back-up would have caused him to be punished for speaking out against the current regent.

Thanks to the words of this strange man he has declared a rebellion against the Deku King and wishes for there to be a change no matter what the cost," said Renamon.

" It kind of sounds like one of those human corruption things," I said.

" In a way it does play along those lines Guilmon although what is happening here is much worse than what we had expected," said Renamon.

" Takato and Rika will find this information to be very helpful if we are to put an end to the conflict," I said.

" You plan to bring about peace among the Dekus?" asked Tingle.

" That time you were listening onto our conversation for you have been doing nothing else," I replied as I gave Tingle a stare so cold that it could freeze even the largest of opponents in their tracks. He started to apologize for listening in on something that did not concern him, and as he apologized he once again referred to me as sir and Renamon as madam even though we were actually Digimon and not some kind of nobles.

Renamon had since gotten fed up with having to listen to him call her madam so she was beginning to have a strong urge towards using her Diamond Storm attack in order to send him away, but for once I became the one with reason when I reminded her that he had just given us a great deal of information so the very least we could do was to allow him to have a chance at running away. Something then hit my mind which actually felt rather painful but then I quickly realized that what I had just received was an idea to ask Tingle about one last thing before allowing him to carry on with his business. " I do have a question myself that I want you to answer for me."

" What is it?" asked Tingle.

" Do you know of a man named Ganondorf?" I asked.

" That Ebonaru has been talking about a man with that exact name as his means of inspiration with regards to what he has been doing in the name of the Deku Faction. No one has ever seen this Ganondorf character in the flesh aside from the golden statue of him that Ebonaru has in the faction's fortress as a means of looking to him for any inspirational motivations. The only thing that has ever been mentioned about Ganondorf was that he was a very powerful who ruled through fear instead of with compassion, and as such many people soon began to fear his power for the fear in their hearts was that he would kill them for failing his commands.

Ebonaru has often said that he loves the fact that Ganondorf is infamous for those horrible actions and that he himself will resort to such measures if it means he can remove the Deku King from power. Some Dekus have claimed that Ganondorf was the mystery man who changed the way Ebonaru saw the Deku Scrub society, but others refute that claim saying that Termina has never once heard of Ganondorf so how could a virtual unknown cause a rebellion without even knowing what it was that he was trying to change?

Some people certainly do have strange imaginations sir if they believe that someone from beyond this world could be at the center of the conflict," replied Tingle.

" Is that all you know?" asked Renamon.

" I have nothing more that I can provide to you," replied Tingle.

" Then you are free to continue on with your business for we will not keep you from your map-making," said Renamon.

" You two are now my friends for you have bought one of my maps which I know will be of great assistance to you as you continue to make your way around the Woodfall region. Allow me to mark this great occasion by saying my special words to which I created them for my own personal benefit...'Tingle Tingle Kooloo Limpah!' These are my magic words that I use as a means of friendship and I implore that you do not steal these words for I worked very hard to make them sound just right in my ears.

I have this strong feeling that we shall meet again somewhere so be sure to look for the one character who uses a balloon to keep him afloat." Tingle said as he disappeared into the large overgrowth of bushes located near the wall that surrounded the entire Deku Palace. How could anyone just walk into those bushes and disappear without even making a single sound? Either this Tingle character was a very lucky fellow who happened to know of a secret way out, or he possessed strong magical powers that he doesn't want anyone to know about for it would ruin his business.

Renamon breathed a sigh of relief knowing that such a strange had left us alone to resume what we were doing. She told that Tingle had taken my spot for being the most annoying character she had ever had the pleasure of meeting which made me happy and also confused at the same time knowing that was how she thought of me. At least she didn't see me as someone that she downright hates otherwise I would be in a real problematic situation right now. This was certainly a rather interesting encounter that the two of us had which made me wonder as to how Takato and Rika were doing in their meeting with the Deku King.

" What are you thinking about now Guilmon?" asked Renamon.

" Takato and Rika have been inside of that palace for a long time and I'm starting to get worried about their well-being. I know that Rika can easily take of herself for she has the means to do so, but the same can't be said about Takato for he has a strong tendency to say the wrong things whenever he is in a stressful position. The Deku King might have ordered them to be sent to the dungeon if he felt that they weren't worthy of being in his presence," I replied.

" You really do know how to overreact don't you?" asked Renamon.

" Neither of us know much about this world other than the fact that it is different from the one that exists in Takato's video game. Ever since those guards took our Tamers away in that strange fashion, I've not once stopped thinking about just what is taking place within the inner chambers of the palace. The Deku King could have sent them to the dungeon for saying the wrong things because Takato nor Rika have had any actual experience in dealing with someone who is known as the ruler of something," I replied.

" But still you are overreacting for you're underestimating Rika's prowess," said Renamon.

" Prowess?" I asked.

" She knows how to deal with people like the Deku King which is why she probably told Takato not to say anything and to allow her to handle the task of speaking to him. The Deku King could have sent them to the dungeon but if I know Rika, she will get both her and Takato out of that kind of situation by using what she has on hand to see them through," replied Renamon.

" And what about Takato?" I asked.

" He does have his good moments but you and I both know that he has a strong tendency to take things out of context," replied Renamon. I hated to admit it but she did make a good point about Takato for he did tend to look at things in the wrong limelight which in turn has gotten both him and the other Tamers into trouble many times in the past. I guess that I'm the only one who doesn't see these kind of things what with being his partner and all, so that entails that I am to defend his way of thinking at all times. If not for that attitude of his I would have never been created through his drawing skills that he used when he should have been studying or paying attention in class.

Rika and Renamon do tend to look down on Takato just because he doesn't behave in the same way that they do, but I believe that they think that he looks down upon them because he can do certain things that neither one of them could ever do such as having such a strong imagination. These differences between Takato and Rika may well be the reason as to why they have developed such a stronger relationship between one another ever since we first arrived in Termina. Such a strong relationship can soon blossom into love if what I have observed of humans is correct which means that these differences could have no merit further down the road.

Just thinking about all of that makes me wonder just what they are doing right now.

To Be Continued

Author's Note: I did the best I could to keep Tingle's personality in check while at the same time showing that he had changed slightly due to how much time has passed since Majora's Mask concluded due to this story taking place after the actual game. The final part at the end between Guilmon and Renamon was included to provide a conversation between the two, and to further cement the connection that Takato and Rika are forging between each other. And once again I brought up Ganondorf which must be the third or fourth straight time I've done this.


	17. To The Fortress

Takato and Rika in Termina

By Ganondorf8

To The Fortress

Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon, Digimon Tamers, The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, or anything else that is associated through a disclaimer. Any original characters you see (and there will be some) are copyrighted to me because that is something that I can do.

Author's Note: The last chapter had some moments between Guilmon and Renamon as a means of humour what with who they had to entertain. This chapter is going to feature moments for Takato and Rika without the Deku King being there for his purpose is about to conclude for the time being.

Rika's POV

Takato and I had originally believed that we were going to see the Deku King in order to cheer him up and explain to him that the two of us were going to handle the Deku Faction in our own way. I didn't think that he would go and tell us to infiltrate the fortress used by the faction as their base of operation as though we were spies about to sneak into some kind of top-secret research facility. As usual goggle-head liked the idea of doing something that he had never done before, but I was completely against the idea of sneaking around like some kind of common thief for I had my dignity to think about and I wasn't about to allow it to be shattered in the span of a few hours.

Then again I suppose that I had no other choice but to go along with this plan for I knew that disobeying the commands of someone higher than you could result in some serious punishments that are too frightening for me to mention. It was Takato who told me that those in leadership roles who command a vast number of people were allowed to do that sort of thing. Next time I should either ask Takato to not talk about it, or find some way to tune it out so that my brain doesn't remember what was being said.

The Deku King then asked us both to come over to a map which was hanging on the wall, and right away Takato was about to make a comparison between the video game version of the Deku Palace and the one we were currently inside. He managed to make himself quiet when he remembered to leave all of the talking to me, and that brought about a smile on my face even though Deku Scrubs do have trouble producing a smile.

Despite Takato's antics having gotten on my nerves from time to time, I always know that he is going to be there for me whenever I am in trouble...it makes me think of him as a potential boyfriend but I ought to stop right there before I end up blurting that out to the Deku King instead of what it was that we were talking about. The map in question was a well-detailed overview of Woodfall which made me thankful for we have been needing a map to help us figure out where we are supposed to be going.

There was a large red X on a building that was north of the palace by the side of the river which was most likely the Deku Faction's fortress as why else would someone place such a big X on a well-designed map. Perhaps Takato and I had seen the fortress when we were making our way down the river on the Swamp Cruise, but that was something that I couldn't tell the Deku King otherwise the truth about Takato and me being humans in Deku Scrub form would be made a reality. My first initial reaction was to just take the map and run away with it, but I doubt that we would get that far what with the palace swarming with guards who are loyal to their king.

" This map shows the entire Woodfall region which has enabled me to keep tabs on just about everything that occurs in the swamp. You may have noticed the large red X that has been placed onto a certain building on the map, and rest assured that this X is there for a reason, but if only I can remember as to why it was placed there...ah yes! I remember why we had that X printed onto my glorious map. That X represents the location of the fortress which the Deku Faction constructed as their means of maintaining their presence within the Deku Tribe.

The fortress lies only a couple of miles away from the Deku Palace so it is something that can be discovered quite easily once you sail up the river," said the Deku King. That brief moment where he couldn't remember the reason behind the X on the map...that made me wonder if the king was also a forgetful character in addition to have lost his sanity due to the large amount of pressure that has been weighing down on him.

" How do we know if this fortress is protected?" I asked.

" I don't see how it can be protected if it isn't able to fight back or anything," replied the Deku King.

" Not the fortress but rather the Dekus and possible traps that exist inside!" I moaned.

" Why didn't you say so?" asked the Deku King.

" But I...oh never mind about that! Does the Deku Faction have any security in place in order to prevent anyone from sneaking inside?" I asked whilst trying so hard to restrain myself from hitting this idiot up the side of the head for thinking that I was talking about the fortress itself. So far I've been pretty patient dealing with the Deku King's instability with his mind, but I'm getting close to the point where I could just snap at any moment and take all of my frustration out upon him. Thank goodness that Takato was there to calm me back down otherwise I would have snapped a long time ago.

" The outside of their fortress lacks any kind of security for the faction does not believe in the idea of using Dekus to keep watch of the outside. It does sound rather unusual but then by doing this they are able to focus all of their attention towards protecting the inside of the fortress where Ebonaru and his small council of advisors have their chambers. Many of my guards in the past have attempted to sneak into the fortress but they have all failed for there is a strong source of magic that covers the building in some kind of strange veil that can alert those who live inside those walls that an intruder is coming.

Such magic as this does not exist in Termina which means that Ebonaru is using magic that exists beyond our boundaries which is often a forbidden practice to use in this world. The veil covers every last portion of the fortress with the exception of a small opening that exists in the water, but no Deku is able to reach such an entrance for our kind does not do well in water," replied the Deku King.

" So that entrance is pretty much the only way we can safely get inside without alerting the Dekus inside?" I asked.

" You would have to be a human or a Zora to be able to reach that opening," replied the Deku King.

" Oh I'm sure that the two of us will be able to handle this problem," I said.

" Those are some very brave words coming from Deku Scrub commoners such as yourselves. Normally I would have had some of my royal guard carry out this mission for it is something that is meant for those under my service as opposed to those who worship me whenever I need it. However, in this case I have no choice but to turn to the likes of you for you stand a much better chance at succeeding in this mission. I don't know why I think along such lines as these but I just have this strong feeling that you will be able to do what my guards could not.

The time has come for you two Deku Warriors to complete this mission granted upon you by your king for this conflict that has split our tribe apart must be resolved now! If you are able to succeed in this mission then by all means return to me and I shall give you a reward that is most fitting of saviours like yourselves," said the Deku King. What he had just said to us about being commoners once again made me want to knock the living daylights out of him, but Takato succeeded in restraining me once again as we took our leave of the king.

The hallway leading back out to the moat that flows around the palace was empty which could mean that the guards were ready to defend the Deku Palace once again. It was what the Deku King said about the entrance to the fortress being one that Dekus couldn't reach made me realize that Takato and I had to swim to it in our human forms and switch back to our Deku Scrub forms before anyone discovers the truth. Having the chance to become a human again after being stuck in this small body was a welcome change for me although I wished that it would last a little bit longer.

We soon found ourselves back outside of the palace where Guilmon and Renamon were waiting for us with the former having a piece of paper in his hand which made me hope that he wasn't thinking about doing what I think he was planning on doing.

" You made it out alive," said Renamon.

" But the two of us have been tasked with sneaking into the Deku Faction's fortress in order to put an end to this conflict," I moaned.

" Sneaking into somewhere isn't usually our line of work," commented Renamon.

" I know Renamon but the Deku King has essentially given us no other choice but to act in such a fashion," I sighed.

" Perhaps this king is desperate and is willing to resort to any kind of level in order to end this problem?" asked Renamon.

" Not only is he willing to do anything he can to resolve the tensions between him and the faction, all of these problems have taken their toll on him and now he has pretty much lost his sanity. At least he was able to provide us with a means of getting into that fortress so it wasn't exactly a total loss on our part. He said that the fortress is covered in a veil of forbidden magic which is why they have no need for any security on the outside for the veil alerts them to any and all intruders that come close to the fortress.

However, this veil doesn't cover all of the fortress as there is an entrance accessible through the river that can allow us to successfully get inside, but the problem is that the entrance can only be reached by a human or Zora which means that Takato and I will need to become humans for a few moments in order to get in," I replied.

" What about Guilmon and myself?" asked Renamon.

" That fortress is crawling with Deku Scrubs so having the two of you walking around with us would be much too dangerous, so goggle-head and I will have to go in alone while the two of you wait outside. This doesn't mean that you two will have to sit this one out for I'm going to give myself and Takato a time limit of sorts. If we don't come back out of the fortress with a resolved problem within two hours of gaining access, you two will have to make your way inside and find us so that we can resolve the problem using means that Ebonaru will be able to understand," I replied.

" That is something that the two of us will accept with no complaints," said Renamon.

" Now can you explain what Guilmon is doing with that piece of paper?" I asked.

" A strange man named Tingle had been speaking to us while the two of you were consulting with the Deku King and he sold us this map for a few rupees that provides us an overview of Woodfall. His attitude was one that I found to be very disturbing although Guilmon here was actually very thrilled of the notion of seeing someone that he dubbed as being very funny. Despite these obvious flaws that he has going for him I do have to admit that his skills with maps has proven to be very useful for I have never seen a well-detailed map quite like this one," replied Renamon.

I took the map from Guilmon's hands before he could have the chance to rip it to shreds and took a look at the map that this Tingle character had provided which was devoid of any X's on it. If I remembered where the X was on the Deku King's map then the fortress we are looking for was right about here, and so I placed a small stone on the location which I hoped everyone would remember...even Takato had to have remembered something as simple as a stone indicating a location on a map.

We soon began making our way north towards the Deku Faction's stronghold using our partners as a means of boats whenever we had to cross the river for Takato and I were too short to make such leaps. The fortress quickly came into view which meant that what the Deku King said about how far away it really was, was just exaggerating the truth for the fortress was closer than what he had surmised. Despite it not being an actual landmark which had existed for centuries, the Deku Faction's base looked truly remarkable as though it had been designed with a motif that just screams out domination.

Guilmon and Renamon decided to scout out the area to see if they could find the entrance in the river for the king failed to mention the exact location leaving us Tamers behind to think about what we were about to undertake in Woodfall. Takato had been practicing his various Deku Scrub skills without noticing that I had secretly walked into a large patch of grass before sitting down on a rock and taking my mask off changing me back into a human again. There I sat for about half an hour or so before Takato finally decided to come and see what was the matter with me, and he was quite surprised to see me with my mask on my lap and staring into the vast expanses of Woodfall.

" What are you doing here by yourself?" asked Takato.

" I wanted to spend some time alone to think about all that I've experienced here in Termina," I replied.

" You can stop with your attempt to deceive me Rika for you and I both know how bad you are at trying to conceal the truth," said Takato.

" This is no deception goggle-head!" I snapped causing Takato to become silent faster than he had done in previous conversations. " Ever since you and I first arrived in this world along with our partners, I've been trying to deny the fact that we were all stuck in a world that was much different from our own. As we continued to interact with our new surroundings I came to the conclusion that all of this was in fact real and not just my imagination, and so I had to undergo a strong change in my maturity so that I could feel as though I belonged here with the rest of you.

After all this time I still feel out of place in this world for none of it strikes my fancy as being something that I want to be a part of, yet you, Guilmon, and Renamon have all managed to successfully adapt to our current predicament with flying colours. I thought that being able to become a Deku Scrub would allow me to find my place which is why I was so willing to become my alter-ego, but now I realize that this mask hasn't done me any favours which is why I took it off and became my regular self again.

Takato, you enjoy this new power that we received from Yamataromon because you have the kind of attitude that allows for such enjoyment, but that isn't the same for me for my disdain for being something else still lingers about inside of my heart. As a result of how I feel about this mask, I have a strong urge to throw it into the river and focus my efforts on being the best Tamer that I can be so long as I remain human."

" What are you saying?" asked Takato.

" I wish that I had never come to this stupid world!" I answered as I began to burst into tears.

" Rika, I know how you feel about what has happened to us," began Takato.

" How could you possibly understand my feelings on the matter when all you've done is shown signs of enjoyment?" I asked.

" I've been hiding my true feelings about all that has been happening from you in order to not have you get worried about me as you and I have been getting closer and closer what with our relationship. I too wish that we had never been brought to Termina for we are struggling against forces that we never once had to focus on back when we were in our own world. What I have done is accepted the fact that we are stuck here for a time until we can find a means of returning home, and for that I have grown to accept my new surroundings as best as I can given the circumstances.

Rika, you don't have to keep on pretending that you are going through these problems on your own as that is the sign of someone who wishes to remain alone and friendless for the rest of her life. Remember that I here with you and I will do whatever I can in order to make sure that you don't wind up falling into another state of despair like those previous incidences. I've never actually said this to you before as I felt that you would probably laugh at me for being stupid as well as being a goggle-head but...I really do care about you Rika and that is something that will never change so long as I live, and you will need to remember those words well including these next words...Rika, I love you so very much," replied Takato.

Now that was something that I never would have expected him to say just like that, but hearing those words especially the last one towards the end made me begin crying again only this time these were tears of happiness for goggle-head here had reached out to me in a way that no one had ever done before. I watched as Takato removed his mask transforming himself back into his human form before sitting down next to me and giving me a strong hug of embrace. This was one of those times where I had no complaints about this for my heart was at peace and my face was blushing bright red for being this close to Takato made me feel happy.

" You...really meant all of that?" I asked.

" I meant every single word," replied Takato.

" This is why I have enjoyed your company all this time," I said.

" Just remember that I'm always here for you Rika and that we have to stay strong together if we are to survive," said Takato. He was once again correct with those words of his which made me see the truth about him which was he was a lot smarter than what I had been giving him credit for. Guilmon and Renamon had been watching from a safe distance and gave each other a high-five for they knew that this was something that they had been waiting for.

I guess they wanted us to have a private moment where Takato and I could express our love for one another in a way that would make it special for the pair of us. The two of us then put on our masks in order to resume our Deku Scrub forms and proceeded to meet with our partners with a new determination in our hearts. Renamon said that the entrance that the Deku King had mentioned was located to the west of the main entrance which consisted of a small bridge that lead up to a rather basic looking door which made me wonder as to why they would use something so simple rather than something so fancy.

Anyway, she continued on with her explanation saying that the water was deep enough for the two of us to make it to the entrance in our human forms without being spotted by anyone. The only problem was that the entrance in question was rather small which meant that only Deku sized objects would be able to squeeze through for humans were seen as being much too big.

" If that is true Renamon then Takato and I will have to somehow don our masks and become like this again in the water," I said.

" That is a dangerous problem for Dekus aren't large enough to swim about in the water and end up sinking. Guilmon and I could swim over to the entrance and act as a sort of platform for you to use, but then we would be running the risk of exposing our true identities to those who are inside of the fortress for they have been known to keep an eye on the outside world," said Renamon.

" Well at least that explains all of those windows," I said.

" Maybe we could make some kind of platform ourselves and bring it over to the entrance," suggested Takato.

" What did you have in mind?" I asked.

" Deku Scrubs are able to hop about on leaves for they are light enough to do so whereas the other tribes would just cause them to sink. There are a whole bunch of leaves floating about in the water so all we need to do is to bring one of them over and change forms quickly so that we can land on the leaf without fear of falling into the water. I know that it doesn't sound like the best idea in the world but then we don't exactly have much else that we can use if we are to get into that fortress," replied Takato.

" I suppose we'll just have to try it that way then," I said.

" That brings towards something else," began Takato.

" What's that?" I asked.

" I wonder what Ebonaru and that council of his are doing right now? You have to wonder just what it is they plan on doing," replied Takato. I was in complete agreement which made for a nice change of pace for I too wanted to know what the Deku Faction were working on with regards to their plans of rebellion. What none of us realized was that the council along with Ebonaru had just finished with another of their meetings, and they had managed to get a lot of work done in just a short amount of time.

" Then we are all in agreement yes?"

" The Deku Palace must fall if our demands for change are to be met for there is no other choice that we can rely on now. We have given the Deku King countless chances to surrender the throne to us and he has resisted each and every attempt that we have thrown against him. It is time for us to go and deliver the final blow so that we may overthrow the monarchy that has caused hatred towards us among the other tribes, and create a new monarchy that shall be endorsed by the Deku Faction!"

" We shall give the king one final chance."

" But why when he has refused us in the past Ebonaru?"

" My master has instructed me to allow the current monarchy one last effort with which to submit to our demands, and you know that my master's words are law once he has spoken. The king shall be given 12 hours with which to make a response as to whether he will abdicate the throne or not. If he decides to give in to the Deku Faction then we shall assume control of the Deku Tribe with myself serving as the new monarch, but if he decides to oppose our demand then the final blow shall be made which will be on his hands," replied Ebonaru.

" If your master has wished it then we shall obey his word."

" You must not oppose my master for doing so would mean instant death, and you don't want to experience something like that at this stage of the game. This meeting is now adjourned my fellow Dekus so all that you need do now is to wait for the 12 hour time period to come to an end. I must take care of something very important so I shall call forth another meeting in half a day's time so that we may prepare ourselves for the final deciding blow against the Deku King...the advisors have now left this room my master which means that you and I will be able to communicate with one another. I have followed your commands right down to the last detail, and soon the desire that you wish to achieve shall become a reality," said Ebonaru.

" And what of the ones from beyond this realm?"

" No one among the Deku Faction has seen them my master but I am sure that they will come here soon enough," replied Ebonaru.

" They must be dealt with soon my loyal servant for if they manage to put an end to the conflict that has been brewing among the Deku Scrubs then your dreams shall be for naught, and my desire will be delayed for a time which I am sure you do not wish to see happen. If you are unable to deal with them then I shall have to do so myself, but remember Ebonaru that should I have to make myself known to them then you shall face my fury."

" I will not fail you my master," said Ebonaru.

To Be Continued.

Author's Note: This chapter really showcases that this story is Rukato themed as I think I maxed out in that scene between Takato and Rika. There will be more of that sort of thing in future chapters so don't think of it as being a one-time deal. Also, if you have been reading my author notes carefully then you may know just who this master is that Ebonaru happens to be serving.


	18. A Struggle Between Deku Scrubs

Takato and Rika in Termina

By Ganondorf8

A Struggle Between Deku Scrubs

Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon, Digimon Tamers, The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, or anything else that is associated through a disclaimer. Any original characters you see (and there will be some) are copyrighted to me because that is something I can do.

Author's Note: Has it been this long since I last updated this story? My apologies for leaving it alone for so long as other things did end up taking my free time away much to my eternal shame. Well, I'm back at it again and so here is the next part of this story although there may be some transition errors due to the gap that exists between this chapter and the last one due to time.

Because Rika did such a fine job in the narration for the last chapter, she will be narrating this one as well for she and Takato finally get to face Ebonaru. Will his master be revealed in this chapter despite the numerous clues that I have left behind? That will be up to me to determine once we reach the end of this chapter.

Rika's POV

Takato was very keen on wanting the pair of us to hop about on the leaves in the water so that we could enter the fortress of the Deku Faction without having to take the front door. A part of me wanted to follow with his idea as that's what Deku Scrubs are capable of doing, yet at the same time another part of me felt that hopping about would be nothing more than an embarrasment.

Sure I may have mellowed out ever since the day I finally chose to allow myself to be surrounded by those who really cared about me, but even I have a limit as to the kinds of lengths I'll go to just to resolve any kind of issue for my tough attitude doesn't need to be diminished by a bunch of leaves dotting about a body of water that's too deep for either of us to cross because of the size of our alter-egos that we'll soon become. Being a Deku Scrub does have some disadvantages which made me think about not putting on my mask and entering the fortress as myself, yet gogglehead over there thought that would be nothing short of a suidical mission for Dekus carry a lot of power when they do things in large groups.

The fortress is another issue that gripes me for even though it looks like a sturdy place because of the strong foundations, there were tell-tale signs that it really needed a good touching up as a lot of cracks could be seen on many of the walls. You would think that Ebonaru would have taken the time to fix these cracks for anyone small enough can squeeze right through them without having to try which is what our overall intentions were going to be. Now Takato was the one who arranged the leaves in a way that would enable us to make our way over to one of those cracks which meant that he ended up getting wet for the river around here went all the way up to his neck.

It was his idea so he had to do the labour portion while I remained on shore and chuckled at seeing him scampering about trying to pick up all of those leaves. It looks like I'm continuing to show more and more enjoyment about being here in Termina for this world has been growing on me as of late, and I suppose that Takato's kind words earlier have allowed me to see what this place is truly like. If it wasn't for the fact that he and I have been commanded by the Deku King to enter this fortress and take down the faction then this would all be nothing short of a beautiful paradise which we can experience in a way that we never could back home.

" Well...it took me about ten minutes or so to get all of these leaves in the right locations, but we now have a means of getting across the river and into the fortress through that crack over there. I know that you've been laughing at me Rika seeing as I look as though I've been through a carwash with protective headgear, yet seeing you express such feelings makes me happy knowing that those problems of yours aren't being a bother to you.

These walls aren't what I would call impressive for I was able to hear a couple of Deku Scrubs talking about there being only 12 hours left for the Deku King to submit to the faction's will. It's probably less than that now given that I've been doing this and you've been sitting here thinking about so many different things," said Takato.

" The cracks were bad enough already but the walls are made of shoddy materials?" I asked.

" I guess from this distance it looks like their fortress was built with quality in mind," replied Takato.

" Now it sounds like all Ebonaru was concerned with was the quantity of the fortress in terms of how many of his supporters he could fit inside rather than the quality. Given his recent actions here in Woodfall would make you think that he had a competant mind seeing as he has managed to come this far in his plans, yet I'm starting to believe that maybe he isn't exactly what I would consider the smartest Deku Scrub in the forest.

This has been something that's stirred my mind ever since we discovered just what has been going on. Dekus are known for wanting to do things that are best for them which is why they change their loyalties at every opportunity they get, and because of this attitude many see them as being cowardly in nature as they hide behind those that have their interests at heart. Ebonaru does sound like one dangerous Deku for he's managed to assemble quite the large following and ripped apart the Deku society at the same time, but what if he wasn't exactly behind this rebellion and that someone else was manipulating him from behind the scenes into carrying out this plan?" I asked.

" Hold on!" began Takato.

" Thanks for disrupting my speech gogglehead," I moaned.

" How did you know all of that about the Deku Scrubs when you've never even experienced this world before?" asked Takato.

" Okay, so I admit that I did play the Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask when you were away for that period of time when I came over to your house that one time before all of this started. At first I just wanted to see what you were doing that wasted your free time which was meant to have been for our Tamer purposes, but once I started to get a feel for it I ended up keeping the controller in my hands and played through as much of the game as I could before you came back and discovered what I had done," I replied which gave Takato quite a surprised look on his face which made me feel a little uneasy about it.

He was the video game player of our group for every time we would meet to discuss what we were going to do to further our abilities as Digimon Tamers, he would blurt out what he managed to achieve in his latest game addiction which caused everyone else to change subjects and talk about video games for the rest of the night.

All those times he did that in the past made me want to give him a huge punch to the head for his attitude made me furious, but now instead of doing that I think I'll give him a hug as his addiction is one that you might say is rather catchy like a virus...that was a bad example I know but I know what I was getting at. " So if Ebonaru is taking orders from someone else...does that mean that his fellow Dekus are aware of this, or maybe only he knows about it and is leading his supporters down a false path."

" The only way we'll find out is to go inside and talk to him," replied Takato.

" I don't think he'll allow us to just waltz in there and confront him as he does have all those servants," I said.

" Maybe we can just sneak around," suggested Takato.

" Any other bright ideas?" I asked.

" What's wrong with sneaking around the fortress?" asked Takato.

" That fortress was designed for Deku Scrubs to use and I highly doubt that there are going to be places for us to sneak about when the ceiling is as high as our chests when we're in human form. On the other hand we don't exactly know what lies inside so my theory can easily be debunked for all I know," I replied. We could've spent the next couple of hours debating over just what might be inside of the Deku Faction's fortress, but then we didn't exactly have that kind of time on our side which meant that we were going to dive in without having any real knowledge of what we were about to go up against.

Takato and I put on our masks and once again I felt my body changing as a result of wearing my Deku Mask before we stood before the water's edge in our Deku Scrub alter egos. Takato chose to step across the leaves first as he didn't want me to risk my life although I did feel slightly offended when he said that as he believed that I couldn't handle it on my own, yet when he slipped and fell flat on his face on the first leaf did I choose to forgive as that would have been too humiliating if I had gone first.

Once we had gotten used to the idea of hopping across leaves did we make it to the gap in the fortress wall where we managed to slip through it before finding ourselves inside of their stronghold. We were both surprised at what we were seeing for the interior of the fortress resembled the insides of a large tree complete with vines and strange vegetation growing in unusual spots. The exterior was designed in a way to make it appear like it were some kind of military stronghold which explains why there were so many cracks in the walls and Takato being able to hear that conversation earlier.

I made a comment to Takato that this place was completely deceiving as those loyal to the Deku King have been believing that Ebonaru has a place that can rival that of the Deku Palace, yet all it is in reality is just a tree that happens to house many different passageways which could be used as a means of escaping.

" Maybe they should've taken the fight to them instead of waiting back there and sending us in to do the job," suggested Takato.

" You can't really blame them for that as they had no idea as to what was in here," I said.

" All we need to do is to find Ebonaru's room so that we can confront and defeat him in the manner befitting a Deku Scrub," said Takato.

" Why don't we just hide in the shadows for a moment before we cross that bridge," I said as I grabbed gogglehead by the hand and yanked him into the shadows just as a pair of Deku Scrubs appeared on the scene carrying what appeared to be homemade spears which seemed rather unusual as Deku's don't really rely on weapons for they are able to blow bubbles out of their mouths. These two must be of a high-ranking within the hierarchy of the faction for they were wearing fancy capes on their backs which again was something that Deku's wouldn't normally do. At least Takato and I do have a sense of fashion even though our hairstyles and pants exist as a part of our alter-egos when compared to these two.

" Are you sure that Ebonaru has chosen this decision with care?"

" He told me to inform the rest of our supporters that the time to bring down the Deku King and establish a new order in Woodfall is now."

" But it hasn't been 12 hours which is what our leader gave to the king so that he could surrender without there being any kind of conflict, so why would Ebonaru choose to go back on his word and instead declare that we attack our fellow Dekus who chose to stand by the regent."

" I started to question about that yet all that got me was a scolding not to mention a threat where I could be stripped of my rank."

" When Ebonaru first started to show defiance towards the Deku King a number of months ago, he was rather civil about it in that he wanted to prove that the king wasn't worthy to rule over us and that maybe someone else could perform the task of being our ruler. The members of the royal court laughed at his idea believing that he was trying to be a rebel without a cause, yet he chose to ignore it and carried on with what he believed in even though very few were thinking along the same lines as he was.

All of this changed one day when he started acting in a manner that made him appear as a heartless individual who wanted to start up a rebellion so that he and others like him could receive the change that they had been demanding. This caught everyone including the Deku King by surprise for before that point Ebonaru had never once considered rebelling against the royal family of the Dekus, yet he chose to start a faction which is how everyone in this fortress ended up being here all because of what he wanted to do."

" It makes you wonder what could have possessed him to change his attitude just like that."

" Because of my slow speed I am usually the last Deku Scrub to leave the vicinity of his private chamber, yet whenever all of us leave his room after the meetings that take place there have been concluded, I can hear him speaking in silence to someone else who is also in the room. The weird thing about that is none of us have ever seen this other person before which makes me wonder if he is a special supporter that Ebonaru talks to alone, and we're also the only ones who know about it seeing as I chose to keep this knowledge a secret until now due to the recent decisions made by our leader."

" I've felt a strange dark aura every time we go into his chamber yet he's the only one there when we arrive."

" It's for the best that we do not disclose this information onto our fellow Dekus as that could bring about unrest among them which in turn would make Ebonaru's dreams of a better Woodfall not become a reality. If he is communicating with someone that the rest of us do not know about then why would he keep it a secret from us."

" Do you really want to go there?"

" Probably not."

" Then we should inform our supporters that Ebonaru has changed his decision and that we are to wage an attack on the Deku Palace within the hour." The two Deku Scrubs then walked off before Takato and I stepped out of the shadows with concerned expressions on our faces due to what we had just overheard. Ebonaru was planning on delivering the final blow in his plans for rebellion which meant that we had to go and face him now before the entire region would be swamped within a savage conflict, but there was something that those two Dekus said which made me start to believe what I had said about their leader earlier.

I believed that someone else was giving him ideas from behind the scenes, and hearing that he was talking to someone that no one else even knows about confirms my suspicions that a higher force is involved. Takato and I started our search for Ebonaru's room which didn't take as long as we thought for his private chamber was located right in the open instead of being somewhere more private.

" You'd think that he would've had his room somewhere in the back," said Takato.

" His chamber is also where they hold all of their meetings so maybe this fortress isn't quite as big as it looks," I said as Takato reached out with his right hand in order to open the door to the room of the faction's leader which a soft creaking noise which felt really disturbing given that we were deep within enemy territory. The inside of Ebonaru's room consisted of a large table complete with numerous chairs including one really fancy one which must belong to their leader what with his status and all.

There were shelves all over the place that had scrolls arranged in a messy pattern which showed that these were being used on a regular basis, yet it was the poster hanging on the wall at the back of the room that struck us as being out of place with the rest of the decor. There was a figure depicted on the poster but it was too blurry to see who it was exactly which was a bit disappointing, but there was this strange aura that surrounded the figure not to mention that one of the hands was clenched into a fist and displayed some kind of marking on the back of it.

Takato's assumption was that the marking was in the shape of a hexagon yet I believed it looked more like a triangle sitting on top of two others. Just as we were about to delve deeper into the mystery surrounding this poster did the Deku Scrub of the hour enter the room through a back entrance.

" Who are you?" asked Ebonaru.

" Would you believe two Deku Scrubs looking for the leader of the Deku Faction?" asked Takato.

" I am the leader of the faction which means that you have come to the right place. You two look rather unusual for Deku Scrubs for your appearances are much different from the rest of us, but pay me no mind for that is your own personal business and has nothing to do with me. I see that you were taking a good look at my poster which I personally hanged on my wall prior to when I came into the room, so I gather that you wish to know more about the figure that can be barely be seen?" asked Ebonaru.

" That would be nice," I responded.

" A long time ago I used to be a Deku Scrub that was loyal to the Deku King for that was expected of us, and that I was always inspired by him to continue being the best scrub I could be so that one day maybe I could become something of great importance. My belief in him shattered the day I discovered that he planned to kill an innocent monkey all because he assumed that the creature was responsible for his daughter's abduction.

I saw that he was someone who showed much in the way of incompetence and incapable of leading his tribe to an age of prosperity, thus I decided that I would go against his rule over us and establish a better monarchy that would enable us to stand before the other tribes of Termina as a respectable tribe. My words however fell on deaf ears for the members of the royal court believed that what I was attempting to achieve was merely the result of someone who had become disallusional. Despite their harsh words I vowed that I would continue my cause to bring about change even if it meant that I was going to go at it by myself...which is when he approached me that day," said Ebonaru.

" Who's he?" I asked confused.

" The one that you can see in the poster that hangs before you. He came to me and told me that if I pledged my loyalty to him by becoming his devoted servant, he in turn would grant me the power I needed to bring my dreams into reality by starting a rebellion against the Deku King and those who were loyal to him. At first I wasn't sure if this offer he had given me would allow me to achieve my goals, but when he used some of his magical power combined with that strange relic that he held in his hand, I immediately chose to pledge myself to him no matter what the cost.

Through the power of my master I have been able to forge a powerful faction that even now is on the verge of bringing about an end to the current monarchy. There will be a new monarchy in place within the next couple of hours for my master has commanded me to instigate an attack now instead of giving the king the 12 hours that I had originally charged to him," replied Ebonaru.

" So that means that he is the one behind this rebellion with you assuming the reigns in his place?" I asked.

" I am the one who commands this rebellion my young Deku Scrub for it was my actions that have brought those loyal to the faction to this moment where we are on the verge of victory. My master influenced much of the proceedings so that I could fulfill his wishes and at the same time allow my own wishes to come true. I've only just noticed that you two are not wearing the special insignia that was designed to represent the faction which means that maybe you two wish to join our cause and overthrow the Deku King so that a new order can be established," replied Ebonaru.

Just as I was about to ask him what in the world he was talking about, I noticed that he was wearing a small bandana around the upper area of his left arm which must be the insignia that he was referring to that we both lacked. I guess that those who are with the faction can be distinguished by the bandanas which means gogglehead and I were in trouble as we didn't have no bandanas. I couldn't think of a single thing to say in response to what Ebonaru had just said about us wanting to join the faction which meant that our only hope was now in the hands of Takato...why do I have a feeling that I'm going to regret what he was about to say.

" We do have some interest in joining," began Takato. Did he just say what I think he just said?

" You don't exactly look like the type of Dekus that would want to be involved in any kind of conflict so maybe you should take part in a more passive way by providing moral support for those of our kind who are willing to fight to the bitter end. There is something that I do want to ask you now that I think about it. How exactly did you come about getting here in the first place for any fresh additions to the faction have to go through the proper channels which can be found at the front entrance to this fortres," said Ebonaru.

Just when it looked as though we were about to get away with it thanks to Takato's quick thinking, Ebonaru throws another problem at us which involves how we managed to get to him without going through security at the main entrance. If he knew that we had gotten here by sneaking inside then he'd figure out that we were spies of some kind, but whether he would associate us with the Deku King remains to be seen. " Don't be shy about keeping such knowledge a secret for all of us in the faction share our stories with one another."

" We snuck into the fortress," said Takato which made me slap my head in frustration.

" Snuck inside...you two must really want in on the faction if you were willing to bypass the channels just so that you could come before me directly. Normally at this point I would be begging you to join the faction for we could use Deku Scrubs like you that are capable of sneaking around, but I am afraid that the only place that you two will be going is straight to the dungeon which we created for those who are against what we stand for.

Are you surprised that I was able to figure out your little ruse? It was the female Deku right here that clued me onto what you were doing when she mentioned that one bit about my master. If you hadn't mentioned that one bit then I would have no doubt believed in you thus you would have made worthy additions, but now that I know that you two have come here in order to prevent the faction from carrying out its wishes, I assume that you were either sent here by the Deku King or you came here of your own accord. It doesn't really matter either way for you two have also learned far too much to be allowed to leave," said Ebonaru.

" What does that mean?" I asked.

" My advisors and the rest of the faction believe that the one I refer to as my master is my father for they assume that I am referring to him in a proper manner, yet you two know the truth behind who my master is for you allowed me to reveal his secret presence within the veil of Woodfall. This is a mistake that I must rectify quickly for I cannot afford to lose ground now especially when I am so very close to achieiving my dream. I would have some of my supporters come in to take you down to the dungeon, but I prefer to deal with you myself so that I reassure the others that I am still fit to lead the faction to victory against the Deku King.

" And your master?" I asked.

" He will be pleased knowing that I was able to bring about his desires which involve plunging Woodfall into a state of chaos," replied Ebonaru.

" You remind me of someone I know," I started.

" Even though you two are not the ones that pose a threat to the will of my master, I can still give you a harsh treatment just so that there will be no wrinkles that can potentially damage what we have created. What I said about you two joining the faction is true for I knew that you had great potential, yet your true nature has robbed of that chance which makes me sad for I have to silence two very capable Dekus," said Ebonaru as he rushed over to the door of his room and locked it from the outside making sure that neither of us were to escape.

I had been scolding myself for once as it was my own blunder that allowed our true motives to be made known, but I think that we can turn things around especially if my theory on Ebonaru works. I just need a couple of minutes to determine if my theory will hold any ground which means Takato will have to do the fighting this time around. He wanted the real experience of a video game and now he's about to see what it's like with me coming along for the ride.

To Be Continued.

Author's Note: Once again I kept the identity of this "master" character a secret but you don't need to worry for he will be revealed in the next chapter. The dead giveaway to his identity will be easy to spot the moment the next chapter gets underway. Also, the one that will be narrating the next part will be either Takato or Rika depending on which one I think should be given the chance to narrate it.


	19. Judgment of the Dark Lord

Takato and Rika in Termina

By Ganondorf8

Judgment of the Dark Lord

Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon, Digimon Tamers, The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, or anything else that is associated through a disclaimer. Any original characters you see (and there will be some) are copyrighted to me because that is something I can do.

Author's Note: The title of this chapter should pretty much confirm what I've been keeping a secret for the last few chapters regarding the mysterious character referred to as "the master". Now you all know that this story isn't a retelling of the Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask but rather a story based on it for there are elements in place that never existed in the game itself.

Also, I decided to have Rika's perspective again as her mannerisms work a lot better than what Takato is usually like in this kind of situation. On a side note, I do intend to add more chapters to this story as I have plenty of free time on my hands plus I want to give my ahem, epic series, a small break as I've been working on that way too long.

Rika's POV

Even though we haven't really taken the chance to get to know Ebonaru better aside from what we've been hearing about him, it became apparant to me at least that he was determined to make sure that his supporters succeed in overthrowing the Deku King and establish a new dominion for the Deku Tribe. Takato was continuing to show signs of excitement for he was determined to put an end to this rebellion and restore the region back to the way it was. If the hero Link had been reborn as someone else down the road then gogglehead would be the perfect vessel in mind as he is showing mannerisms that are exactly the same as the Hyrulian hero.

Luckily for the both of us I had a much stronger focus in mind for I too had the same notion of wanting to bring about peace back to Woodfall. We were chosen to do so on behalf of the Deku King so we might as well carry out our duty even if we aren't really part of the Deku Tribe. There was something though that had been on my mind for a while now regarding this master that Ebonaru kept on referring to; the one whom I figured was the one behind this rebellion with Ebonaru playing the role of vessel all because his master couldn't do the job himself.

Takato once told me that Deku Scrubs did do things of their own accord for anyone is capable of independant thought, yet such actions would usually be done in the name of the Deku King and the tribe for your loyalties were always there no matter where you were in the world. That means that Ebonaru must be some kind of puppet who was lead to believe that he was going to usher in a new age for the tribe without realizing just what was going on behind the scenes.

That's just my theory mind you for I could actually be wrong and that he is in fact doing what he wants with the power of his master being used to guide him along towards his overall victory. In one scenario there is a chance that Takato and I wouldn't live to see through the rest of our experiences in Termina, and there's the other one where we end up saving Woodfall and become heroes in a world that Takato knows more about than I do thanks to his video game obsession.

My decision quickly came to me in the form of asking Ebonaru more about this master of his without revealing that we intend to make it out of this fortress alive, but before I had the chance to say something, I was looking down on the floor and saw that he and Takato had already started fighting one another in a fashion that made me wonder if this is how Deku's resolve their issues through combat. If this was to be the fight of the century then the audience would have asked for their money back as this was perhaps the most humiliating sight I had ever seen in my entire life.

Takato and Ebonaru were punching, kicking, and throwing those bubbles around at each other to see which one of them would be the first to yield, and if I hadn't chosen to grab gogglehead by the hair and pulled him aside then they would have continued until one of them ended up getting bored and changed tactics.

" Why did you pull me away from him?" asked Takato.

" Because once again you decided to leap right into the fray without taking the time to think about using any kind of strategy! One of these days your recklessness is going to be the end of you gogglehead and I don't mean to say that like I was your mom or something! If it wasn't for the fact that I have grown really attached to you then I probably would have waited until you and Ebonaru had beaten each other to a pulp before getting involved and dragging your butt all the way back here. While you two were busy having your fighting moment, which was nothing short of embarassing, I started to think about this master that he keeps on bringing up," I replied.

" You mean the one that you suspect is behind all of this?" asked Takato.

" What if this character isn't just causing problems for Woodfall and is instead focusing on all of the regions at once?" I asked.

" That's kind of difficult to determine seeing as we've only really been walking about the southern portions of Termina, but I suppose you might have something Rika which means that I'm going to have that lecture again where you constantly remind me that you have once again understand things whereas I have to catch up the hard way," sighed Takato.

" I'll give you that later once we've dealt with this," I smiled.

" So what do you have in mind?" asked Takato.

" Ebonaru sounds like a proud Deku seeing as he's so full of himself what with everything that he's managed to obtain through the Deku Faction, yet I think that he's too proud and that he is willing to tell us just about anything we want so long as we don't make our true intentions known. If I can ask him about his master whilest going under the guise of him being too much for us to handle then we will have ourselves some knowledge that could be very useful during our time here.

Personally, I'm getting fed up with being thrown into these situations without knowing what we're in for ahead of time, and that Yamataromon hasn't exactly been much help as all he does is provide cryptic clues that have no real meaning behind them," I replied.

" Why can't I ask him the question?" asked Takato.

" If you did that then we wouldn't get anything for you would probably babble out our intentions," I replied which made gogglehead feel somewhat sad at first before he realized that what I had just said was true. He quickly imagined himself speaking to Ebonaru regarding his master and accidentally saying that we can use this to further our own experiences once we get out of the fortress, and once he came back to our current reality did he admit that I was the much better choice at asking something while keeping secrets close to my heart.

Ebonaru had taken this free moment to think about what we were talking about and assumed that the two of us had something in common which is why he asked if the two of us had a romantic interest in each other. That kind of response wanted me to walk right over to him and give him the biggest slap in the face I could muster, but then doing that would ruin my plan so I had to just grin and bare it even though his assumptions about Takato and me were correct. " We have come to the realization that you are too much for the two of us to handle which is why we have decided to submit to your power."

" Now why would you immediately choose to surrender when your friend here was so determined on defeating me?" asked Ebonaru.

" My friend here has a tendency to act out on impulses rather than taking the time to think things through, so don't pay him no mind at all as he's just a foolhardy Deku that has the thinking pattern of a hyper-active child who has had too much sweet goodness as of late," I replied before a sweatdrop appeared on my head before I turned my attention towards Takato who just stood there with a strange look on his face.

What I just said about him can be seen as an insult to his character, but then what else could I have said given that I'm under pressure to make Ebonaru believe that we are no threat to him and that he can reveal his secrets to us without having to show any kind of concern on his part.

I'm glad that he went along with what I said about him when he chose to step backwards otherwise our relationship could have ended right there and then. " You don't need to worry about my friend for he has understood that what he tried to do was wrong and that he will acknowledge that you are the superior Deku Scrub around here."

" Then it seems that the Deku King has failed to try to bring about the end of the rebellion," smiled Ebonaru.

" We admit that we were sent by his royal majesty in order to defeat the leader of the Deku Faction thus resorting peace back to Woodfall," I said.

" I've come to expect no less from him for he usually has his servants tackle the tasks that are much too difficult for him to figure out, and if he has no servants on hand then he will select a few commoners to carry out the task with the promise of a great reward attached as an incentive. The Deku King was once a mighty ruler that the Dekus respected for he was able to provide us with all we needed to ensure our place among the other tribes, but once he started to show controversial decisions did his presence start to deterioate amongst his loyal subjects.

I wasn't the only one who wanted to bring about change to the region for there were others that also wanted to see the same thing happen, yet none of them were able to muster any amount of courage for they feared that speaking out against the king would be seen as treason. I was the only one who showed no fear as I didn't care what the king would do to me for I was determined to voice my anger against his incompetence.

That was when I realized that we needed to change the way the tribe operates which lead me to starting the Deku Faction; a group of those who had animosity towards the Deku King and demanded that there be a new ruler of the tribe," said Ebonaru.

" I always thought that you alone wanted the change," I said.

" The signs do point in that general direction but the truth is that I was one of many who showed anger," said Ebonaru.

" What made you different from the rest?" I asked.

" Despite their anger my fellow Dekus lacked the courage to stand up against the Deku King unlike myself who voiced his concerns directly before him. His court laughed at me and said that I was a rebel that wouldn't amount to anything which is why I was more determined than ever to bring about a change.

When I left the Deku Palace in utter humiliation due to being the only one who stood up to the king while my comrades quivered, the only thing I could think about was wanting to remove the king from his throne and see someone more worthy assume the title of king. I had the determination to start something that would bring about change, yet how could I achieve such a goal when others like me showed no signs of wanting to go up against the monarchy due to fears of being branded traitors to the tribe? That was when I met him," replied Ebonaru.

" Since the two of us are going to either be sent to the dungeon for all time or something much worse, would it okay for you to reveal this information to those who are obviously weaker than you?" I asked.

" Neither of you are going to be able to stop the rebellion so I guess that I could tell you," replied Ebonaru.

" That would be just swell," I said as I nudged Takato to move closer to the door so that he could open it quietly in the hopes that someone outside would overhear the truth behind the rebellion. My original idea was to learn about this master as much as Ebonaru was willing to mention before we turned the tables and overcome him, but I figured that it would be a lot better if his secrets were made known to the rest of the faction as they needed to know just what was really taking place within their own society.

" When my master first appeared before me in the guise of a shadowy being, I feared for my life as I believed that I was going to be killed by a human who had so much hatred in his heart. That was when he told me that he could make my ambition become a reality by providing me all I needed in order to bring about change to Woodfall.

His words had so much promise that a part of me wanted to agree to his offer straight away, but the other part showed signs of resistance which made me wonder if this was just a dream I was having as a result of being ridiculed by the Deku King and his court. My master told me that he knew what they had done and said that I would make a much more suitable ruler for the Deku Scrubs.

He would help me begin the Deku Faction that even now prepares to assume complete control over Woodfall, and all I had to do in exchange was to become his servant and obey all of his commands without question," said Ebonaru.

" So you've been following his orders all this time?" I asked.

" Most of the decisions that I have given to the faction have been of my own accord although the remaining ones did come from the words of my master," replied Ebonaru.

" Who is this master?" I asked.

" He is a man who has wielded an ancient power from another world for eons and it was this power that I have managed to come this far in my ambition to change the monarchy. Everything that I have done in the name of the faction has also been done in the name of my master," replied Ebonaru.

" What about a name?" I asked.

" His name...is **Ganondorf**," replied Ebonaru. As soon as I heard that name did my heart sink deep within my body and I felt as though I was about to suffer some kind of fatal illness. Ganondorf was a man who has lived for countless years all because the power he holds in his hands grants him eternal life according to the rumours I've heard about him, yet to discover that Ebonaru had pledged his allegience to him makes me wonder if he was right in the head when he chose to turn to him for advice.

Many people back in our world always assumed that Ganondorf was just a character in a video game that had been popular for decades, yet that assumption was put to rest when he appeared in the flesh and aspired to conquer our world all because he believed that he was powerful enough to rule an entire planet alone. This is something that he's been doing for years although there have been a number of people who resist his desires and fight back against him to prevent him from taking over.

Takato and I happen to be among those who fight against Ganondorf although we don't go to the kinds of extremes that others have taken to bring about an end to his evil, yet hearing that he was influencing someone in Termina made me feel cold all over while Takato just showed nothing but anger which wasn't new for him. " You two look as though you have just experienced some kind of traumatic moment as soon as I mentioned the name of my master.

No one in Termina even knows who he is aside from myself which makes me wonder if there's something more to you than what I am looking at. On the other hand you might just be showing signs of fear knowing that I have been given much by someone who wields a power that almost no one has ever used."

" You serve a non-Deku Scrub?" I asked.

" That is the one drawback for we Dekus never serve those that live outside of our tribe, but then that is minor at best when you consider that the faction is on the verge of victory. Ganondorf wanted to aid me in my cause for he wishes to bring about chaos to this region by starting a rebellion that would tear apart Woodfall right down to the very foundations.

At first I was skeptical of what he had in mind for that would mean that I would become the ruler of a ravaged land, but he assured me that by the time it was all over I would be the new Deku King and rule over a changed tribe that would experience peace forever. I chose to obey his wishes and carry them out for that was my purpose as I was his devout servant," replied Ebonaru.

" I'm just surprised," I said.

" If I had mentioned this to my supporters then they would be surprised just as much as you are right now," said Ebonaru.

" Then allow me to say that I'm just outraged," began Takato.

" You can be that way if you want," said Ebonaru.

" When I first heard that the Deku Tribe had been split apart all because some wanted to see a change while others wanted to have things remain the same, I thought that those who wanted change were going to do so in a way that would still maintain the peaceful existence that has made Woodfall such a promising place. Once I began to realize that those who wanted change had formed a rebellion, I had lost all faith in those Deku Scrubs for they had chosen to rely on barbaric methods instead of trying to act it all out in a peaceful manner.

While I will give you credit for wanting to speak your mind against the actions of the Deku King despite being laughed at, having someone like Ganondorf get involved will cause nothing but trouble," said Takato.

" Surely you must be joking?" asked Ebonaru.

" You have believed the words of someone who only has concern for what he wants instead of that which everyone else wants, and because of that you have no idea as to what's going to happen once this rebellion of yours has taken full root. All you believe is that you will be the ruler of a prosperous tribe once Ganondorf has finished inflicting chaos upon the region, but the harsh reality is that there will be nothing left for you to rule once the chaotic presence has fulfilled its role.

In fact, I wouldn't be at all surprised if he chose to simply get rid of you just like that all because you either have no further use to him or that you failed in his commands," replied Takato. This was a side of gogglehead that I haven't seen in a long time not since that incident where Guilmon digivolved into that corrupted form of his, yet there was a part of me that was starting to fear that Takato was going to allow his anger to get the best of him which would place us both at risk.

Another part of me felt proud knowing that he was speaking out against Ebonaru and condemning him for all of his actions that he has inflicted upon Woodfall, and it seems that my alternative idea proved to be successful for I had completely forgotten all about it because of the moment.

While Ebonaru had been talking about his connections with Ganondorf with Takato and I listening, one Deku Scrub who just so happened to be walking by had chosen to listen in on the conversation thinking that his leader was having a private meeting with one of his advisors. When he learned of the horrible truth behind the actions of his leader did he chose to go and inform the rest of the faction's members, and that meant that Ebonaru was about to receive a bargain that he didn't count on all because of what he had been saying.

" Okay, you can stop now Takato," I began.

" I've only just started speaking my mind to him," said Takato.

" But Ebonaru won't have to deal with you anymore considering that he is about to receive a lot of complaints from every Deku Scrub in the fortress," I smiled.

" What does that mean?" asked Ebonaru.

" Have you noticed that your door has been opened slightly even though you personally locked it yourself from the outside? My friend was able to push it as much as he could without causing the lock to moan which would have drawn your attention towards what he was doing. Sure it may not have been much in the way of effort when you look at it straight away, but then it has proven itself to be very effective in the long-run as you're about to see Ebonaru.

You do have a tendency to say too much when it comes to sharing your information, and we figured that the reason you have a lock on your door is to prevent anyone from discovering what you do in here when no one else is around. Since you just revealed the true reason behind this rebellion in so much detail without knowing that the noise coming from your mouth could be heard by anyone outside, all it took was to have someone walk by and overhear what you were saying and report it to everyone else," I replied.

" I doubt that anyone heard me," said Ebonaru.

" You should probably mention that to the hoard of Dekus who are coming this way which means that our job here is done. You are actually stronger than both of us considering that you do have the power of someone like Ganondorf at your disposal, but I doubt that you would turn on those who have been following you since the very beginning. No, all you have to do is figure out some way to explain to them the real reasons behind this rebellion for they are going to demand that you tell them everything," I said and just in time too for there was a large gathering of Deku Scrubs that had amassed just outside of the door to Ebonaru's room.

Judging from what they were saying in booming voices, they wanted to speak to their leader about certain secrets that he had kept from them. Ebonaru just froze in terror when he came to the realization that he had caused a grave mistake which meant that his master wasn't going to be very happy with what is going on in the faction. Before Takato and I could make a move the door burst open as a result of many Dekus blowing bubbles in order to get to Ebonaru, and a large swarm started to pile into the room which made it difficult to move about.

Soon the entire room was filled to capacity with angry Deku Scrubs who were demanding the truth to come out of the lips of their leader, and I felt as though I was going to choke to death due to the lack of breathing room. A hand then grabbed my arm and pulled me through the horde of Dekus before I found myself outside of the ruckus which was a sigh of relief on my part, and I discovered that it was Takato who had gotten me out of there which made me blush knowing that he still showed feelings towards me.

" We can return to the Deku King and inform him that the rebellion is over," said Takato.

" The rest of the faction could carry on without Ebonaru you know," I said with a concern.

" After what they have just found out regarding the true motivations behind their leader, I don't think they will continue with a rebellion that will bring nothing but despair to Woodfall. It's for the best that we allow them to deal with Ebonaru for they have a much stronger association with him than you and I do, and we need to check up on Guilmon and Renamon who are probably worried sick about us by now.

Besides, I want to speak to our Digimon friend Yamataromon as I think he can tell us a lot more than what he has been saying so far," said Takato. The two of us held hands as we started to make our way out of the fortress leaving Ebonaru behind to deal with the angry horde of Deku Scrubs who were showing all kinds of expressions towards him. Those close to him blew bubbles at him and scolded him for having lied to them all this time regarding what was going to happen to the region.

It seems their leader never mentioned that Woodfall was going to become a barren wasteland which was to be rebuilt after Ganondorf had been through with it, and as a result they all removed the insignia that proved their loyalty to the faction and began to leave in their droves. About ten minutes later Ebonaru found himself all alone in his fortress with stacks of green cloth everywhere in addition to stacks of flags that bore the coat-of-arms of the faction, and he showed a frustrated look upon his face for he had come so close only to wind up falling a little short.

" My supporters have abandoned me just like that all because I never told them everything about what was going to happen. My master assured me that I was to succeed and rule over the tribe as their new king if I followed all of his commands without question, and now here I am with nothing left aside from the remnants of a faction that wanted to make a change for the better. Perhaps what those two Deku Scrubs told me about him was wrong and that I should have never asked him for help with my cause.

No longer can I return to face my fellow Dekus for no doubt they will label me an outcast all because of my actions, so that means that I have no other choice but to leave Woodfall and go somewhere else where no one will ever recognize me," said Ebonaru.

" Your fate has now been determined my loyal servant."

" Who said that?" asked Ebonaru.

" It appears that you have failed in performing the commands which I had given you all because you allowed your own pride to be the one thing that has caused your downfall. It is a pity for you were so very close to having your dreams become a reality only to have them dashed from your sight by a pair of creatures that tricked you into revealing your secrets. Not everyone is capable of being a mighty ruler for only those chosen by destiny are able to rule over so many lives for they have the power to instill fear into the hearts of their subjects.

You were so easy to manipulate my young Deku for you were willing to do whatever it took to assure that your sworn liege would be removed from his position of power...and such determination has now landed you with nothing but an eternal loneliness. One of your stature was able to command much in the way of loyalty towards those who were willing to follow in your path to forge a better tomorrow, yet you also show a weakness in that you fear being left alone in a struggle that now holds no meaning for those who were with you have left you to rot alone.

I have used you long enough which means that you are of no further use to me...which means that you no longer have any need to exist in a world that now keeps itself away from you all because of a few actions which have left you broken and tarnished in the eyes of your own kind. Now you shall face my judgment for you surely must have realized what becomes of those who I deem no longer to be of any worth...then again, perhaps not." A shadowy figure then appeared out of nowhere and held up a hand before Ebonaru started to feel a choking pain in his neck which indicated that he was being subjected to a torture of unknown power.

A few moments later the Deku Scrub was lying down on the floor face-first and was showing no signs of breathing as the shadowy figure disappeared with a laughter than echoed throughout the fortress.

To Be Continued.

Author's Note: Now you know the identity of the master for what is a Legend of Zelda themed story without Ganondorf being a part of it. Also, I was intending to kill of Ebonaru for that kind of thing does happen in the series from time to time as a means of moving the storyline along as well as providing more emotion. Who says that this will be the last time the Deku Scrub gets seen in the context of the story? He may yet return much later on in a way that will remain a secret for the time being.

Also, I bolded Ganondorf's name to emphasize that he is the one that was the master of Ebonaru, and it's also a reference to the series for they have been bolding important character names for years.


	20. The Eccentric Link Goro

Takato and Rika in Termina

By Ganondorf8

The Eccentric Link-Goro

Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon, Digimon Tamers, The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, or anything else that is associated through a disclaimer. Any original characters you see (and there will be some) are copyrighted to me because that is something I can do.

Author's Note: Renamon will be providing the narrative this time around as it's about time that someone else took over the reigns in that department. Also, the Woodfall region is going to be left behind now as the story is going to be focusing its attention towards the Snowhead region which is the home of the Gorons in Termina.

But first there will be some issues that need to be taken care of in Clock Town which will be brought up in this chapter as well as the next one. Since I mentioned the Gorons, I think it will be easy to figure out just what is going to happen in town. Thanks for all the reviews by the way including the ones that came up as a result of when this story was under that hiatus for what seemed like a long time. I appreciate the feedback that you give me as it helps me further some conepts.

Renamon's POV.

It had been about two hours or so since Takato and Rika entered the Deku Faction's fortress in the hopes of crushing the rebellion in the name of the Deku King, and things outside hadn't really progressed which proved to be an annoyance for Guilmon as he wanted to experience some action. He kept on begging me to go in and help out our Tamers for that is what we partners have to do for them, but I told him that we had to stay in the shadows until they had succeeded in their mission no matter what.

Guilmon would sulk each time I refused his request for he wasn't exactly aware of what would happen if we Digimon appeared out of nowhere and decided to attack the fortress. For one, our Tamers would be exposed for there was no doubt in my mind that Guilmon would sniff out Takato and blow their cover.

Second, we are seen as being more unusual in appearance than even the most twisted creature that existed on Termina for we were foreigners in a strange world, so our presence would actually scare the Deku Scrubs which in turn would cause panic among them. This was the way things went until we had to run and hide when the Deku Scrubs started to stream out of the fortress in droves all with angered expressions on their faces.

Guilmon and I managed to overhear what a few of them were saying as they went by which were along the lines of "how could we have been blinded by that Ebonaru?" and "he tricked us into fighting against our own kind all because he wanted to bring about the destruction of our land in the name of a human master!" Something must have happened to have made them change their opinion of the faction although I strongly believed that Takato and Rika had something to do with it.

Actually, I suspected that it was Rika who mainly did the work for she would have come up with the solution to resolve the issue while Takato would have likely said the wrong thing which would have exposed their true intentions. Once the last of the Deku Scrubs had left the area in their angry state did we see two more come our way, yet these two were showing signs of happiness and were holding hands which could only mean that these were our Tamers having made it out in one piece.

" Where have you been?" asked Guilmon.

" It didn't take us that long to take care of the Deku Faction although judging from those words of yours, you had to stay here and behave for reasons that were probably too difficult for you to understand. We would've actually come out long before those Dekus and avoid their angry rampage, but Takato here wanted to take me away from all of that for a brief moment and show me one of the more peaceful aspects of Woodfall.

We've had our private time together which is why we can go and make our way back to the Deku King for he is expecting us to return to him," replied Rika.

" Things have been pretty boring around here Takato and Rika for all the Dekus were doing was going about their routines until they were all summoned inside in order to hear some kind of confession. I wanted to go inside and help you for there were too many of them for you to deal with, but Renamon insisted that we both remain here in the shadows until you two had come back. Not much really happens here in Woodfall unless it is some kind of crisis which makes this place too boring for me," said Guilmon.

" If it doesn't have action then no place is exciting for you," I moaned.

" That's true as I enjoy taking on challenges for that is what makes me stronger," said Guilmon.

" You never stop ceasing to amaze me Guilmon which is why I have to keep a constant eye on you so that you don't wind up getting into trouble. We managed to overhear the Deku Scrubs as they came by here in their angry state, and it appears that they are done with the concept of rebelling against the Deku King for they have concluded that they were tricked by him in order to start a conflict for his master.

Ebonaru must have really wanted to take things to an extreme level which may be why he decided to undertake actions that his former supporters are angry about," I said.

" It has to do with his master," began Rika.

" Why do you say that?" I asked.

" Because his master is none other than Ganondorf," replied Rika.

" The Gerudo man from that desert domain who has struck fear into the hearts of so many?" I asked.

" Ebonaru revealed to us that he had been furious with the Deku King ever since the incident where his daughter, the Deku Princess, had been abducted and he in turn blamed an innocent monkey for the crime. From that moment on he began a struggle where he wanted to remove the king from power because of what he called incompetence and have someone with far better qualities ascending to the throne.

The Deku King and his court laughed at him and labeled him as a rebel who had no real cause, and that's when Ebonaru found himself before Ganondorf who convinced him that he would help him realize his dream. In exchange for this Ebonaru became his loyal servant and fulfilled all commands given to him by the Dark Lord so that a teriible darkness could emerge from Woodfall as a result of the rebellion.

Ganondorf intended to have this region engulfed in darkness where it would be completely destroyed and rebuilt in Ebonaru's image, yet this was something that the other members of the Deku Faction were unaware of for they didn't know about the presence of Ganondorf. Once they realized that they had been used by a man who wasn't even a Deku to fulfill his own needs, the faction turned against Ebonaru and have left the fortress in order to return to their king," replied Rika.

" Will the Deku King forgive them for their treason?" I asked.

" That's hard to say for they were tricked into forming the Deku Faction which means that he could be forgiving to them, or he could find them guilty of betryal and have them all killed which might be too controversial as he would have to execute several hundred Deku Scrubs which would only decimate the tribe," replied Rika.

She had a point for if the Deku King were to find the members of the faction guilty and have them executed, that would make quite a large dent within the tribe and those loyal to him might retaliate for seeing him as being too harsh in his judgment. That result would end up creating another rebellion within the tribe and one that would be filled with the truth which would forever remain undetered. Ganondorf would actually succeed in bringing about chaos to Woodfall even though his original intentions have been denied thanks to Takato and Rika's efforts.

" I wonder if Yamataromon was aware of this," began Takato.

" It's a while since we last saw him seeing as we've essentially been handling things on our own," said Rika.

" He may be an ancient Digimon who once lived in the Digital World, but he is still a resident around here which means that he might have been aware of what Ganondorf was doing but chose to keep that from us just in case he wasn't completely sure that we could be trusted.

Think about it for just a second Rika! Yamataromon oversees much that happens in Termina for he has made it his own desire to observe everything that takes place in the hopes of being able to address any given situation before it winds up becoming too much for anyone to handle. In that sense he would be aware of Ganondorf for someone from this world was making contact with him, yet how come he never chose to mention this to us when he knew that we were destined to help out this world?" asked Takato.

" You're thinking way too hard gogglehead," replied Rika.

" Okay, then you explain to me why Yamataromon opted to keep us in the dark when he knew what was going on," said Takato.

" Can you be sure that he knows anything?" asked Rika.

" Why don't we ask him when he next see him for I have a feeling that he'll be contacting us soon enough," replied Takato. Normally, whenever he starts to think about certain theories in order to explain what might be going on, Takato isn't what I would call the brightest person for what he thinks usually has nothing to do with the problem itself and winds up talking about unrelated matters.

In this case however, I believe that he does make a good point for Yamataromon must surely be aware of what Ganondorf has done in Woodfall which would mean that he did hide that information from us. There were a few things that didn't quite add up because of the inconsistency coming from the mouth of Takato, but he was right about us speaking to the ancient Digimon whenever he felt that the time was right to communicate with us from the Clock Tower.

Yamataromon was once known as the great overseer of the Digital World for he took it upon himself to keep tabs on every last thing that would happen, and because of this knowledge many turned to him for advice which he was able to provide just like that. His only flaw is he doesn't exactly understand humans what with his lack of understanding them due to his rather aloof nature, so maybe he doesn't trust us enough to the point that he is willing to reveal the truth.

Guilmon and I are fellow Digimon so shouldn't we have gotten the truth from the start, or maybe our association with humans made us appear as being untrustworthy in his eyes as well. This was something which would be stuck in our minds as we made our way back to the Deku Palace where a large gathering of Deku Scrubs had converged in order to hear a grand speech courtesy of the Deku King.

Takato and Rika were escorted into the palace for they had been deemed heroes of the tribe for being able to overcome the rebellious nature of the Deku Faction, and as a result they were to come before the king in order to receive something that is reserved only for those among the Deku who have earned it.

" The Deku King is surely in a good mood considering that he has organized this celebration," commented Guilmon.

" Which means that you and I must make our way up to a high point in the palace so that we can overhear what is going on," I said. This was actually going to be a problem for while I was graceful and able to make my way up to such a height, Guilmon on the other hand was of the clunky type who wasn't exactly skilled in leaping up to higher ground.

Sometimes I wish that Takato had been given a Digimon who wasn't so big and clumsy for it meant that I had to carry him all the way up to the top of the palace which was going to put a strain on my legs. Guilmon turned out to be a lot more heavier than I assumed which is why it took us about ten minutes to make our way up, and my concern was that we were going to miss something very important all because of a Digimon that needed to get into better shape.

" I just hope that we didn't miss anything of real importance otherwise you'll have to find your own way back down! How can someone like you with so much potential have such a clunky body that is incapable of performing stealth."

" I'm the way I am because of how Takato created me," replied Guilmon.

" The next time he goes and creates a Digimon of his own design, he is going to be told what to do even if it has to be shouted right into his ear," I moaned. Guilmon and I then started to observe what was taking place within the throne room of the Deku King, and we were lucky that nothing important had been mentioned for they were still getting the final details assembled for the king to make his speech.

On the one side of the room stood a large gathering of Dekus who were eagerly awaiting for the celebration which was to honour two of their own kind even though they were actually humans in the guise of Dekus. Takato and Rika were in the middle of the room standing before a large fire which had been errected for the occasion, and standing in front of them was the Deku King himself who had been talking to his personal butler about something which no one was able to understand.

The butler left the room without uttering a single word before coming back holding what appeared to be a small chest that featured a rather interesting design.

" We have gathered here my loyal Deku Scrubs in order to congratulate these two for going above and beyond the call of duty in order to fulfill a command which I had bequeathed upon them. They were successfully able to infiltrate the fortress of the now former Deku Faction and toppled their leader Ebonaru in a fashion that can only be described as both a miracle and disturbing.

Before I get down to the true reason that I have asked you all to come here before me, I wish to give this chest to you two Deku Scrub Warriors for you have earned this valuable treasure which is only given to those among our tribe. It is a special treasure which I have collected many of myself knowing one day that they would be handed down to the most deserving of the honour of being bestowed this gift. Now that you have given this valuable treasure can I proceed to why you have been gathered here my Deku Scrubs.

It seems that the former leader of the Deku Faction, Ebonaru, had been harbouring a terrible secret which had been kept from those of you who had sworn your loyalty to him and his cause. All this time we knew nothing of what was truly going on within the bowels of his fortress, but now the truth has been made clear which my devoted Deku Butler will reveal to you on my behalf," said the Deku King.

" I thank you for the privilege of informing them your majesty," said the Deku Butler.

" Then proceed already for they do not wish to be kept waiting," said the Deku King.

" As most of you are already aware of given what has transpired during these last couple of hours, the Deku Faction has been brought down by these two brave Dekus who risked their own lives on behalf of their king in order to bring about an end to this rebellion before it could have destroyed the balance of existence that has been prevaded over Woodfall for years.

Many of us had believed that Ebonaru, the leader of the faction had instrumented the rebellion in order to bring about change to the tribe as a result of the crimes that he said that our beloved king has conducted. It has since been discovered that he had been in the service of a human who wanted to bring about the destruction of our domain for he wished to bring about darkness to further something that remains unknown.

Ebonaru therefore had falsely led his supporters down a path where the truth had been hidden from them in exchange for their loyalty. This truth was the one thing that would tear apart the faction if it were to become known which is why Ebonaru did all he could to maintain the secrecy, yet it was revealed thanks in large part to these two fine Dekus who defeated him and established peace back to the region.

Once his supporters had learned of what was going to happen was the moment where they came to the realization that they had been deceived, and thus they abandoned their leader knowing that his intentions did not reflect upon that of what they were lead to believe.

These former members of the Deku Faction have since been welcomed back with open arms by our glorious Deku King for he forgave them for their actions once the truth of the rebellion had been made clear to him. Ebonaru's master who was in fact behind the rebellion has not been seen since this incident, and we assume that he has gone back to wherever he came from once his plans became dashed," said the Deku Butler.

" Thank you loyal butler for the lengthy speech which should now be all you need to realize what has transpired here this day," said the Deku King.

" Your majesty," began the Deku Butler.

" Why did you interupt my wonderous speech?" asked the Deku King.

" There is still more to be revealed," replied the Deku Butler.

" I had assumed that you had finished once you mentioned that Ebonaru's master had disappeared from Woodfall," said the Deku King.

" Something else has taken place which must be made known to the entire tribe your majesty for a great tradegy has occurred in this moment of peace. When one of your loyal soldiers chose to inspect the room that Ebonaru called his own where he issued commands to the Deku Faction, the soldier found him lying dead on the floor having succumbed to an evil power that choked him to death according to the way that his body was found," said the Deku Butler.

" Ebonaru is dead?" asked the Deku King.

" It is so your majesty for he had no signs of breathing when the soldier found him within his private chambers. There were no signs of a struggle which shows that he had been killed via a magic that is foreign to the world of Termina otherwise there would have been various markings across his body.

A group of your loyal soldiers have since removed Ebonaru's body from its resting place and wish to examine it to see if they can find themselves an answer as to what has happened," replied the Deku Butler. This brought about a state of shock across each Deku Scrub face for never had something like this happened before in the history of the Deku Tribe. I could see the faces of Takato and Rika looking sad because they knew what had happened to Ebonaru, but they couldn't reveal the truth to the Dekus for doing so would merely crush their spirits knowing that one of their own had died at the hands of a man like Ganondorf.

Yes, Guilmon and I had come to that conclusion based on what we had heard, and it was sad to know that someone who just wanted to change things for the better had been killed all because he had deemed to be worthless in the eyes of his master. Ebonaru's life had been taken away all because he had chosen to accept help from someone who cares only for himself as opposed to the well-being of other people.

After the ceremony had come to a conclusion and the Deku Scrubs having returned to the areas of Woodfall where they came from, Takato and Rika had not said an entire word knowing that Ebonaru had been killed in such a horrific fashion. Their expressions told the story for this was something that they had rarely experienced, yet what they have seen regarding the death of someone has brought about pain and suffering in their hearts which we Digimon could understand. Rika felt really bad knowing of Ebonaru's fate yet Takato embraced her in order to show her that he cared about how she felt.

" I just can't believe that he was killed all because of what we did," cried Rika.

" Ebonaru was fighting for a change which meant his very life for those who fail Ganondorf are punished by death. We've seen what that man is capable of Rika during the many times that we have seen and heard of his actions against numerous people, yet this action of his shows that he has stepped across a line which should never be crossed at any time," said Takato.

" He was the only one who wanted a better world for his tribe and such actions cost him his own existence," cried Rika.

" All because Ganondorf influenced him," sighed Takato.

" Is this going to keep on happening all because of that man?" asked Rika.

" That's difficult to say for we don't know if he has influenced someone in the other regions of Termina," replied Takato.

" Anyone can be persuaded by numerous thoughts and emotions depending on how they are implemented at the time." The words of Yamataromon filled the air as he appeared before us in the usual fashion that has made him an enigma among Digimon. " I have been watching the events that have unfolded here in Woodfall for quite some time for I oversee all of the regions within this world, so what you assumed about me young Takato is correct.

It is unfortunate that I was not able to prevent the death of such a young Deku Scrub whose mind had been poisoned by the words of a man who holds so much hatred in his heart, yet I would conclude that perhaps this is a sign that fate does inflict horrible things when we least expect it."

" Yamatromon!" exclaimed Takato.

" We've been wanting to speak to you for some time," said Rika.

" The fate of the one known as Ebonaru cannot be reversed for his fate had been sealed when he chose to accept the aid of Ganondorf, yet you have no choice but to continue with your journey here in Termina for these kinds of experiences will soon become second nature once you start to see what truly lies beneath the surface.

It appears that the time has come for me to explain of some important matters which I did not mention to you upon our last encounter for you have the strong desire to know the truth which I have been keeping from you. My reason for keeping these secrets was not because I did not trust you and these two mighty Digimon for you had earned my trust the moment you revealed your noble intentions to me.

No, my reason is that I did not want any of you to know of the horrors that exist in this world for there has been much chaos that has perverted the land, and that your true purpose was to find your way back to the world that you call home. When Ganondorf laid his hands on the divine relic known as the Triforce, his evil power radiated through the many worlds that are seen as being a parallel to the one known as Hyrule with this world being one of them.

Termina has been under his dark power for many years which is why he was able to influence the young Deku Scrub so easily knowing that he would do anything in order to achieve his goals. The influence of Majora's Mask was only the beginning and paved the way for what is taking place even now," said Yamataromon.

" Why not tell us of him?" asked Rika.

" For if you had known then you would have gone after him which is nothing short of a suicide for Ganondorf is one who wields power that you can only imagine. I had hoped to prevent you from defeating the leader of the Deku Faction and instead allow the Deku Scrubs themselves to take care of the problem, but I arrived too late thus you were able to restore Woodfall back to the way things were before the rebellion first started to manifest itself," replied Yamataromon.

" You wanted to stop us from doing a good deed?" asked Rika.

" Ganondorf is aware of what you have done for both the Deku Scrubs and those who live on the ranch that exists outside of the swamp, and now you have become marked by him which means that your lives are going to be in constant danger as a result of your actions. You have indeed performed noble deeds my young friends which the respective peoples are grateful for, yet by doing so you are now being hunted by the man in dark armour who will do whatever is necessary to have your lives come to a horrifc end.

I know that you four shall continue with your journey in Termina for the purpose of your presence here has now become known to you which means that my words will hold no meaning to you. Thus I shall reveal to you where you must go next for you have a sense of justice in your hearts that you wish to see fulfilled even if it means your own lives become forfeit," replied Yamataromon.

" This is the kind of thing that the four of us have experienced when we fought to save our world and your world," said Takato.

" Maybe so, but this is something that none of you have ever faced before," said Yamataromon.

" So where do we go from here?" asked Rika.

" You must travel north from this point until the land turns to snow and ice and you become surrounded by mountains where the path becomes narrow. This is known as Snowhead which is the home of the Goron tribe where they once experienced a terrible cold snap but now face a new crisis which you must witness for yourself.

Before you travel to the land of snow and ice, you must first return to the place where you first started your journey...you must return to Clock Town for there is someone from the mountains who will meet you there for he shall be the one that will be your guide to the region. Once you have entered Snowhead will be when we will meet again for you must first reach that destination before I can provide you with some more information," replied Yamataromon as he disappeared in the same fashion which left all of us wondering as to who we had to meet in Clock Town and why.

Since we were now in the vicinity of the Swamp Cruise Tour building where next to no Deku Scrubs populate the area due to wanting to be as close to the Deku Palace as possible, Takato and Rika removed their masks reverting back to their human forms knowing that they needed to look this way in order to move about Termina Field.

" Yamataromon wanted to protect us knowing that what we were getting into was deemed as being too dangerous," said Rika.

" He was well respected by many Digimon for his concerns regarding their well-being," I said.

" But he didn't have to be so secretive about it," said Rika.

" He was doing his best to protect us from the horrible truth that has befallen Termina over time, and for that Rika we must give him our respect for he is one who has a divine presence among all Digimon who have ever graced the Digital World. The only thing that he did not mention to us was how we are to return to Clock Town from here as that will take us far too long, and it sounded like he wanted us to return there as soon as possible," I said.

" We've done too much walking as it is so we need some kind of ride," said Rika.

" Guilmon and I could always digivolve," I suggested.

" You two need to resume your disguises of being traveling pilgrims as I don't think this world is quite ready to see two Digimon tearing up Termina Field just to get back to Clock Town. No, we'll have to use your digivolved forms sparingly which means that we'll all have to rely on our natural abilities...in addition to the use of our Deku Masks even though we won't be in a place that they like to call home.

If I remember correctly about what happens on Termina Field, Cremia of Romani Ranch makes a delivery from the ranch to Clock Town in order to supply the Milk Bar with all the milk they need for their many customers. The route that she took from town all the way to the ranch does pass by the entrance to Woddfall as the Milk Road is just a short distance away.

That means that she should be coming by this way any time now so all we have to do is to make our way back to the field and hope that she's coming by," said Rika. This was actually a big risk for all of us for there was a chance that she wouldn't be there by the time we arrived, but Rika did insist on taking the chance so we all ran as fast as we could in order to make it to the entrance of Woodfall via the Termina Field side.

The field itself was much more quieter than usual mainly due to the fact that the sun was setting and the night was about to cover the land in the blanket of darkness. It seems that we spent a lot longer in Woodfall than what we had assumed due to not paying that much attention towards the sky above us, but that soon quickly passed when a horse driven carriage came up towards us before coming to a stop.

" I've been wondering as to what became of you four."

" Cremia!" exclaimed Takato.

" The last time I saw you was when you helped us deal with those alien creatures that attacked the ranch before you had to leave for Woodfall. I was on my way to town in order to deliver a fresh supply of milk to the Milk Bar when I saw you four coming out of Woodfall which prompted me to veer off course slightly in order to see you.

Judging from the way you all look, you've been doing a lot of walking around to the point where you're not able to walk anymore. I'd be glad to give you all a ride back to town as I have this strong suspicion that you need to go there," smiled Cremia. We all got into the back of the carriage before Cremia urged her horse to resume the trip towards Clock Town which was quite a distance away.

" I usually make my deliveries around this time for I want to go to town and back again without having to do so during the day and in the middle of the night. So what have you four been up to since we parted ways back on the ranch?"

" We went into Woodfall in order to confirm a suspicion that we had," replied Takato.

" You must mean the rebellion that split the Deku Scrubs into two sides right? Don't be surprised at how I know about it for news about that problem reached all regions of Termina including the ranch which prompted everyone to prepare for the worst in case the rebellion were to have gotten out of control. The Deku Scrubs aren't bad by any means for they do what they have to in order to survive which is why they constantly change sides so that they are able to benefit from it.

No doubt that you guys have experienced the results of the rebellion as you entered the Southern Swamp for the two sides have laid waste to a lot of areas just so that they could get their point across," said Cremia.

" Apparently the rebellion has been brought to an end," said Takato.

" That's something which has been spreading about Termina within the last few hours courtesy of messengers on behalf of the Deku King. Two young Deku Scrubs were successfully able to get into the fortress of the Deku Faction and took down their leader thus bringing about the end of the rebellion and returning peace back to Woodfall for the first time in months. The rebellion though was a problem isolated to Woodfall for the other regions are having their own problems," sighed Cremia.

" What do you mean?" asked Takato.

" Everyone throughout Termina have been through some difficult times as of late which is why our world is going through a time of instability. Romani Ranch is actually the only place right now that has been free of problems for the last few days, yet now we can add Woodfall to the list as there is no doubt in my mind that the Deku Scrubs will handle things there from now on.

The other regions are going through their own situations of which we humans know very little about due to the isolation that the tribes are taking. The crisis in Woodfall was actually the only thing that was keeping us all together, but with the rebellion having been brought down, the other tribes have since distanced themselves from us humans and one another making things more difficult than before," replied Cremia.

" Do you know about the Gorons?" asked Takato.

" They come from Snowhead which is far to the north of Clock Town in a land that is filled with snow and ice all year around. Most of them prefer to stay within the safety of the mountains for reasons that revolve around coming into contact with other tribes, yet there are a couple of Gorons that do live in Clock Town in addition to a few that go there for the Carnival of Time.

I do remember one particular Goron who comes to the carnival every year armed with a backpack that's almost the same size as he is, and that he goes to the Stock Pot Inn in order to make a reservation as soon as he arrives in town. One year he wasn't able to get a reservation so he actually spent the night outside because he enjoyed the night sky that was cast over town.

The Carnival of Time is coming soon which is why I've been making more deliveries than usual, and I have this feeling that the Goron in question is going to be at the Inn to make his annual reservation," replied Cremia.

" Carnival of Time?" asked Rika.

" It's the biggest event to take place in Termina where everyone from the tribes gather together to celebrate in Clock Town to honour the four who have protected this world for as long as anyone can remember, and to celebrate the good times that the future will bring to all of us. The carnival is due to take place within a couple of weeks so everyone is preparing for it despite the fact that there are so many problems plaguing us.

I have another feeling which is telling me that you need to speak to a Goron about something, so I think that you should speak to the one that I made a reference too for he should be in town by now," replied Cremia. We soon arrived back in Clock Town via the east side where we said our thanks to Cremia who proceeded to make her delivery to the Milk Bar while we proceeded to the west in order to find the Goron who comes to make a reservation.

We didn't have to go very far for standing by a wall was a large creature wearing a blue hat and a red coloured bow-tie who was carrying a large backpack that was bigger than most of us.

" Excuse me," began Rika.

" It's not very often that I am spoken to by a human given that I am a Goron-Goro."

" We've actually been looking for one of your tribe for we were told by a friend to come here in order to speak to a Goron about what is happening in Snowhead," said Rika.

" That is a coincidence for not only did I come here to enjoy the Carnival of Time as I do every year, I came in order to see if anyone was willing to come to my homeland in order to assist us with a problem that we Gorons have been experiencing for the last few months. Everyone I talked to refused to help me for they did not wish to become involved with the problems of Snowhead, yet you have come before me in order to inquire about coming to help-Goro."

" Pretty much," replied Rika.

" I have longed for this moment where someone would come and help us in our time of need, and now that moment has come which means that you must come with me in order to see a certain specialist who can help you overcome the obstacles that exist in Snowhead."

" First, can you tell us who you are?" asked Rika.

" My name is Link-Goro."

To Be Continued.

Author's Note: This went a lot longer than what I had assumed as I wanted to tie up as many loose ends as possible in Woodfall before changing the focus of the story to Snowhead. I'm sure that you know which character that Link-Goro is referring to for if you have played Majora's Mask, you should have a strong indication of where the story is going to go next given the layout of Clock Town.

Also, I intended to bring Cremia and Yamataromon back into the story especially the latter for he is still an important character in the grand scheme, and I needed a familiar face to greet Takato's group so that they would have a feeling of knowing at least one person very well.


	21. How to use Powder Kegs in 3 Easy Lessons

Takato and Rika in Termina

By Ganondorf8

How to use Powder Kegs in 3 Easy Lessons

Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon, Digimon Tamers, The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, or anything else that is associated through a disclaimer. Any original characters you see (and there will be some) are copyrighted to me because that is something I can do.

Author's Note: The title of this current chapter may have a humerous notion attached to it, but the use of Powder Kegs is going to be quite important for Takato's group is going to have need of them. Without them they won't exactly be getting around Snowhead once they discover just what has been happening there lately. There's no need for me to say anything else right now for Link-goro is going to be filling in the explanations so I might as well turn things over to him with Takato giving out the narration. Plus, check out Takato's references to the game in the early going of the chapter.

Takato's POV

Did he just call himself Link-goro? What kind of name was that supposed to be? I know that he has the same name as Link given that I recognized the first part of the name, but where does the goro part come from which comprises of the rest of it? It took me a while to remember who he was in the video game for we've been through so much now that I've been starting to forget about the minor people.

The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask is well known for having a strong focus on minor characters for it is these individuals that serve as providing the majority of the interaction. There were a few major characters that made their presence felt from time to time, but it was these minorities that served as being the backbone behind the entire experience. Now the identity of this Goron was starting to come to the forefront for I was beginning to remember his role in the video game.

In it, he had traveled from the region of Snowhead in order to reserve a room at the Stock Pot Inn for reasons unknown. Link, the Hero of Time as a child could make the same reservation before this guy due to having the same name minus the goro suffix in order to be able to gain access to the inn after the regular hours. If this Link in front of us were to have made the reservation as per his intentions then Link would have been stuck outside without any real means of getting in to aid a certain someone.

All of this switching back and forth between two different Links was starting to leave me confused, but then since this is the true world of Termina and not a video game as I've seen, Link-goro here could have some additional intentions that we don't know about. As I continued to think about all of these different possibilities that were being presented before us, Rika chose to engage in conversation with this Goron and I was showing him a sense of pity in my mind for who knows what she's going to do before he could have a chance to say anything.

" What did you just say?" asked Rika.

" My name is Link-goro."

" Okay, that is probably one of the most ridiculous names I've ever heard in my entire life!" moaned Rika.

" I happen to like my name-goro," said Link-goro.

" Let's just forget about names for the time being okay as we need to get down to some serious business involving the reason that you wanted someone to help you. You said to us that you've asked a number of people to come and aid you in something, and so far the answer from each of them has been a strict no which is where my friends and I come into the picture. We have a strong sense of justice which compels us to aid you in your moment of need, yet it had better be for the right reasons for we don't exactly have that kind of time to waste," said Rika.

" These people that I turned to for help didn't want to come to my aid all because it involves the well-being of my tribe-goro. Each of them at first showed signs of wanting to come and help me, but their true attitudes came into the foreground once I mentioned the mountains of Snowhead and the plight of my people. We Gorons have lived in the mountainous region of Snowhead for many centuries and have survived numerous experience where our tribe has been on the verge of extinction such as the harsh winter conditions that took the life of our greatest champion-goro.

Because of our isolation we have often depended on our own means without having to rely on the other tribes for general assistance, and because of this stance we were seen in the eyes of the other tribes as being somewhat of a fearsome group that wouldn't tolerate them-goro. Some of us Gorons have made the travel from the mountains down to Clock Town as a means of showing people that we are a friendly group, yet there still remains that sense of distrust within their eyes which has only been furthered by a recent incident that has place my tribe into a terrible predicament," said Link-goro.

" Who was your champion?" asked Rika.

" He was known as the great Darmani who we often relied upon to help us in our desperate times, yet a horrible accident appeared to have claimed his life when he chose to venture forth to the temple that exists in the northernmost reaches of the mountains-goro. It was believed that he had died and was given a proper burial shortly after his frozen body had been discovered, but then we came to the realization that he had not died and was focused on completing the mission that he had chosen to accept-goro.

That was about over a year or two ago when our region was caught within the terrible winter conditions, and since then we have not seen him which has lead us to believe that he has either returned to the world of the dead, or instead chose to explore this world in the hopes of helping out anyone who may be in need," replied Link-goro.

" If he had chosen to go about the land in the hopes of using his skills to help out those in torment, then wouldn't his actions have become famous at this point which in turn would lead the other tribes into trusting what you and your people are capable of? It sounds to me that this Darmani character must have returned to the world of the dead instead of leaving the mountains...oh! I'm sorry if I was sounding offensive for you and the rest of the Gorons must have truly looked up to him immensely given that he was your champion," said Rika.

" There is no harm done for I had strongly suspected that the great Darmani had chosen to rest in peace knowing that he had finished what he started-goro," said Link-goro.

" So what exactly has been happening in your home of Snowhead lately?" asked Rika.

" When spring returned to our region ending the terrible winter conditions that almost wiped us all out, many Gorons chose to leave the mountains in order to visit the other tribes of Termina in order to forge strong relationships in the hopes of understanding who we share this world with. At first this went along well for we were successfully able to interact with the humans, Dekus, and Zoras who in turn were able to interact with us, but this all came to an end about seven months ago when a terrible incident took place which has distanced us from the other tribes.

Our leader, the Goron Elder, has been getting on in years which is why he chose to give his power to a small selection of Gorons who would become a council of leaders while he remained as a symbol of authority. It is these council members who have chosen for our tribe to cut off all connections with the other tribes for the elder's son was abducted by what they claim was a human who had a Deku and a Zora with him. The elder's son will one day become our leader which would mean the end of the council for they are a temporary leadership, yet his abduction has placed a great sadness upon us for he was to be the one that would guide us to the future," replied Link-goro.

" Who would want to kidnap a child?" asked Rika.

" The council laid blame instantly on the other tribes without taking anything into consideration which is why my tribe now isolates themselves from the rest of the world. Our leader did not believe in what in the council was saying and chose to leave the village in order to find his son along with the few Gorons that chose to follow his guidance and not that of the council-goro. As for the other tribes of Termina, they resented the fact that each of them had been blamed for something that they did not know about which has resulted in their disapproval of our tribe," replied Link-goro.

" So that explains the reason why no one wants to help you because of the accusations that have been placed on them by this council. In some ways I don't blame them for their controversial decisions for they believed the son of the elder of the tribe was kidnapped by those representing the other tribes, yet at the same time I feel that they went a little too far in the blame game for it could have been someone from just one of the other tribes and not all of them as they are claiming.

According to what you just said to us, this abduction took place seven months ago which means that this isolation has been going on all this time with no signs of ending. I take it that everyone outside of the Gorons is not quite so forgiving given that this has been going on for so long, yet something just doesn't quite add up what with what we had overheard the Deku Scrubs saying.

They claimed that the Gorons were involved with the rebellion that was taking place in Woodfall for they and the other tribes were planning on putting an end to it if it were to reach into their territories, yet you say that your tribe has broken all ties with the other tribes which means someone isn't being very honest right now," said Rika.

" You do not think that I am lying to you do you?" asked Link-goro.

" No as you've been very honest with us so far which makes me suspect that you have been unaware of what has been going on," replied Rika. Considering that Guilmon, Renamon, and I have been on the outside of this conversation ever since it first started, none of us have exactly had the chance to say anything given that Rika was determined to get straight to the truth without us getting in any words of our own.

Her style of speaking is questionable seeing as Link-goro as he calls himself has been struggling with various aspects, but she has succeeded in learning what has been going on in Snowhead as of late and how it all relates back to the Deku Scrubs. What she said about the Dekus claiming that the Gorons planned on intervening with the the rebellion along with the other tribes to bring about an end to it is true for I was with her when we learned about it.

Someone wasn't exactly being truthful regarding their information which is why we needed to find out more about the Gorons for the big mystery lies with them. We do intend on figuring out who kidnapped the elder's son as that is something that we can't allow to stand, but at the same time we have this strange coincidence that has brought forth an even bigger mystery. The world of Termina is well-known for being a place where mysteries abound for there are a lot of shadowy recesses that make it difficult to come to grips with what truly happens in this place, and here we are deep in one of those mysteries without anything to use as a means of a paddle.

" Rika, I need to speak to you for a moment," I began.

" Can you tell me later gogglehead as I'm in the middle of something," said Rika.

" But it has to do with what we just found out," I said.

" One minute Link-goro as I need to speak to my friend over here who insists on interupting our conversation...this had better be good Takato as I don't want to hear that you dragged me over here just to tell me something that I already know about, or that you wish to show off some more affections towards me for if that's the case then you had better be prepared to receive quite the scolding from me," said Rika.

" I've been thinking about what Link-goro said with regards to what we know about so far," I said.

" That's why you dragged me over here?" asked Rika.

" Before you start throwing around any kind of anger issues towards me Rika, just think about it for a few minutes and you'll see where I'm coming from. The Dekus claimed that the Gorons were the among the tribes who were willing to get involved with taking care of the rebellion before it could spread out to their respective tribes, yet how could they have been involved with something like that if they were already dealing with a crisis that has kept them isolated from everyone else?

The elder's son has been missing for seven months according to Link-goro which is also how long the Gorons have cut all toes with the other tribes, yet the rebellion in Woodfall started six months ago so that concludes that either the Dekus weren't aware of what was happening with the Gorons, or that someone from the latter group may be trying to hide something and mask it with something else," I replied.

" You came up with all that?" asked Rika.

" Well, I do have more ideas in my head," I replied.

" I guess that you thinking too much isn't always a bad idea gogglehead," said Rika.

" Another thing that I was thinking about is Ebonaru and the connection that he had with Ganondorf...the former leader of the Deku Faction had successfully kept the true intentions of his master hidden from the eyes of his own supporters until the truth was exposed, so what I was thinking is that maybe someone among the council of the Goron tribe is acting in the same fashion so that he can keep a secret hidden from view.

Or, it could actually be just a regular Goron who is trying his best to keep something hidden from the eyes of the other tribes including members of his own. I would like to suspect Ganondorf is perhaps involved in the affairs of the Gorons just like he was with the Deku Scrubs, but we don't have enough information to draw any kind of connection unless we can get that from someone like Yamataromon for example," I said.

" I doubt that he would be willing to just give away that information just like that for he still thinks that we are placing ourselves in too deep to save our own hides," said Rika.

" Doesn't he know that we Tamers are more than capable of taking care of ourselves?" I asked.

" He is an ancient Digimon who chose to leave the Digital World long before any humans first started to make their way around there. Yamataromon has been showing numerous expressions of surprise given that this is the first time that he has since those of his own kind interacting with humans who were indirectly involved in his own creation. In his eyes he just sees us humans as being too weak to do things on our own and believes that we aren't able to handle things that he feels are better suited for Digimon of all kinds.

A part of me really wants to prove him wrong Takato for we have to show that we are just as qualified to take on forces far greater than what we are able to muster up. If we want to find out more about what is really happening in Termina then we can't afford to believe in the words of a Digimon despite our relationships with our own partners," replied Rika.

" He was right about us coming here," I began.

" Consider that to be one of his lucky moments for we need to follow the advice of those who are actually native to this world," said Rika.

" What if I choose to speak to Yamataromon the next time we see and ask him to share some more insight on what he is really like?" I asked.

" Someone of his stature might not be so willing to reveal much about his identity especially when he comes as being a majestic character who has an enigma like personality about him, but you can take a crack at him if you want Takato for I were to speak to him then you can be sure that there will be some fireworks," replied Rika. The two of us then kissed one another on the spur of the moment given that Rika was being rather down about how she felt about Yamataromon, and I having a rather perky attitude that needed something to calm it down before I could lose control of my composure.

With that out of the way we could focus our attention towards the matter at hand which was dealing with Link-goro and the problem that he had presented before us. Our intentions were to help his people in Snowhead overcome the problems that had been plaguing them for these past months, but the problem is that we couldn't walk about as we are for no doubt they hold strong tensions towards the other tribes which means human forms and Deku forms are out of the picture. Okay, we had a second problem in the form of actually making our way up to the mountains for I remember that it isn't the most exciting experience in the world given what I went through when I played the video game.

" Am I able to get involved in the conversation now-goro?" asked Link-goro.

" The two of us are done speaking to each other so we can focus all of our efforts on you," replied Rika.

" I wish to thank you and your companions for wanting to help my tribe in their time of need, but first we need to go somewhere in Clock Town in order to pick up something very important which will help you. When I made my way from my village in the mountains to attend the annual Carnival of Time as I usually do, there was a brief snowstorm on the path that connects Snowhead to Termina Field which has created a large enbankment that has sealed off the way back to the region. Nothing is able to bring down this large collection of snow and ice with the exception of the one thing that one of my people has here in town.

If you are going to go up into Snowhead then we need to remove this obstacle before anything can be done, but know that I will only be able to guide you as far as the entrance to the region before I must turn back and leave you on your own. Since my loyalties are with that of our elder I am not able to return to my village until the incident has been fully resolved," said Link-goro.

" That doesn't make sense given that you had to leave your village to come here," said Rika.

" I have actually been here in Clock Town for a couple of months as I wanted to get away from the problems that have been plaguing my tribe ever since the elder's son was taken away from him. We must now make our way over to the Bomb Shop that exists on the west side of town for we will find what you will need to make your way into Snowhead-goro," said Link-goro. The last time we were in the west of Clock Town was when we had to visit the Curiosity Shop when we were trapped inside of our Deku Scrub forms all because of someone's idea of a joke, but now things have changed a bit since our last visit which made all of it a brand new experience.

A large gathering of people had amassed themselves in the large clearing by the post office in order to watch something, and while I was keen on going to check out what was happening over there, Rika chose to grab me by the ear and dragged me away as she said that we had to focus on what Link-goro wanted to show us. The inside of the Bomb Shop was rather spacious which was unusual for a place that sold goods, but then this was a shop that specialized in selling various types of bombs so maybe they needed a much larger space with which to work in.

" The owner of the store used to run this place on a regular basis alongside his mother who often had to go out and acquire the new deliveries, yet these days they are rarely here all because of the incidents that have been plaguing the world as of late. A Goron has also set up shop here for he carries the one thing that this shop doesn't carry for it is something that only we Gorons are able to carry."

" What is it?" asked Rika.

" Have you ever heard off the Powder Keg?" asked Link-goro.

" Back where we come from we have such items all over the place which are often used by demolition experts and people that need to use them in construction," replied Rika.

" Those are some strange people using Powder Kegs in such a fashion-goro, but then your people must do things differently than the other humans who live here in Clock Town. Powder Kegs are powerful bombs that are able to do things that regular bombs are incapable of doing such as being able to blow up the sturdiest obstacle. Such bombs like these can only be used by us Gorons for only we are able to lift them up and use them for the intended purpose of which they are designed.

Of course-goro you need to have the proper certification if you wish to use Powder Kegs for they are dangerous due to the power that is contained within them. There is a Goron in my village who gives our fellow tribe members a test to see if they are allowed to use Powder Kegs for he is the one who created them. I do have the authority to use them for I passed his test a long time ago which is why I shall purchase a Powder Keg so that you are able to make your way into the Snowhead region," said Link-goro.

" I was beginning to think that no one would be coming," said a nearby Goron.

" Why is everyone gathering about outside?" I asked.

" Someone is presenting some kind of strange artefact which has been wowing people all over Clock Town in order to make their way over to this side of town in order to see it. With all of the problems that have been taking place amongst the tribes as of late, people want to see something that will allow them to relax despite all of the danger that exists all around them. Now then, I take it that you came here in order to purchase a Powder Keg which is my specialty for why else would a Goron want to come before me.

Although I see that you two humans and those two standing behind you in the robes covering their faces are not aware as to what I am selling here. It's understandable for the other tribes don't really understand the power that comes in the form of Powder Kegs, so because I have enough free time on my hands what with the lack of customers coming my way, I can tell you how to operate a Powder Keg even though in reality you won't be able to use one," replied the Goron.

" Who said we can't use one?" asked Rika angrily.

" Only Gorons who have been certified to use Powder Kegs are permitted to use them which is a rule that all of the tribes have accepted for only us Gorons are able to use these properly. You should be thankful that I am allowing you humans the chance to know how they work otherwise I would have asked you to live while I deal with your Goron companion over there," replied the Goron.

Sometimes Rika really needs to watch what she says for that tongue of hers could get us into a lot of trouble from which we won't be able to get out of. We've been in the world of Termina for a while now so we do have an idea of what happens here, but there is still much that continues to elude us which is why we have to keep our opinions to ourselves as we don't want to offend anyone.

I took Rika off to the side for a few moments in order to explain this thought of mine to her, and her initial reaction was one that I expected for she didn't like the idea of having to keep her expressions locked away inside of her heart all because of offending the locals. " I take it that your friend feels bad about saying that to me so I will forgive for she wasn't aware of how certain practices here in Termina take place, and I feel bad about making that threatening comment which is why I will tell you everything about the Powder Kegs."

" Thank you for the opportunity," I said.

" We'll listen," sighed Rika.

" Now this is going to be explained in three easy lessons for it is actually very simple to use a Powder Keg," said the Goron.

" What's the first lesson?" I asked.

" The first thing that you need to do is to go and see my master for he is the one who gives out the certifications which will allow Gorons to use Powder Kegs. He lives in a cave in the Goron Village of the Snowhead region and is very friendly for he enjoys seeing Gorons acquire the license they need to use his prized possession. In order to receive the certificate from my master you must perform a test that involves using a Powder Keg and taking it to a location that he will mention so as to blow up something there.

He will know if you have succeeded for he has a strong sense to such things, and to make things easier on everyone he provides the Powder Kegs for free as they usually cost around 50 rupees to purchase one of them. Speaking of which, Gorons are only allowed to carry around one Powder Keg at a time which is a safety measure that my master created back when he first started the certification tests," replied the Goron.

" What about you?" asked Rika.

" I sell Powder Kegs here in the Bomb Shop as a means of branching out the business so to speak, yet I can only sell Powder Kegs to Gorons who have been certified to use them," replied the Goron.

" Lesson two?" I asked.

" Once you have been given a Powder Keg through the certification or by purchasing one from me, you will need to hold it above your head for that is the best place to carry it especially in these troubled times. You need to be aware that the fuse will start to wind down the moment you decide to use it which means that you will need to get it to the desired target before it explodes and causes you great harm.

Also, be aware that the Powder Keg will explode if too much pressure is applied to it for it is a delicate thing despite the fact that it contains so much power inside of it. The only exception to the fuse limitation is that the Powder Kegs given out during the certification test will have a longer fuse which will give you plenty of time to carry out your test. Once the Powder Keg has been placed into the desired position should you move away from it quickly as the blast range is rather big unlike regular bombs which boast smaller ranges," replied the Goron.

" Has anyone actually been injured by the explosions?" asked Rika.

" Some people have received injuries all because the Goron using the Powder Keg used in the wrong place, yet these are rare incidents that only occur as a result of a miscalculation that comes from the mind of the Goron holding the bomb in the first place. Even though we Gorons so have tough skin as opposed to the other tribes, we too can be injured by the Powder Kegs which is why safety precautions have to be used in order to make sure that no one gets hurt," replied the Goron.

" And the final lesson?" I asked.

" As long as you hold the Powder Keg somewhere in your possessions it will not light up and explode in your pockets for the fuse only activates when you choose to use it. You also need to make sure that you have plenty of money on hand in order to purchase one as it costs 50 rupees each time you want to use a Powder Keg for whatever reasons you have in mind," replied the Goron.

" That's the last lesson?" asked Rika.

" Much of the explanation comes in the first two lessons which is why I hate explaining this last one," replied the Goron. Despite the fact that we really only got two lessons with a third one tacked on as a means of saying just a little bit more, Rika and I got the general idea as to how Powder Kegs are to be used even though as humans we weren't allowed to lay our hands on them.

If we could somehow become Gorons ourselves then we could use those kegs in order to help us further our adventures in Termina. Guilmon and Renamon had been taking careful notes on how the Powder Kegs work for I am sure that they are able to carry them around despite the fact that they are Digimon and not Gorons, but then they had to follow procedures otherwise we could get ourselves into trouble which really wouldn't be the first time.

" Now I must deal with your Goron companion for I am certain that he has come all this way in order to purchase a Powder Keg. My fellow Goron who must have come a long way considering that you carry around such a large backpack...I am finished speaking to these humans so now I can devout my attention towards you."

" I need to purchase a Powder Keg-goro," said Link-goro.

" That will be 50 rupees," said the Goron.

" They are within this purse," said Link-goro.

" May I inquire as to why you need a Powder Keg?" asked the Goron.

" My friends here wish to make their way to the Snowhead region which is currently blocked by a large expanse of snow which prevents anyone from getting to the Mountain Village. A Powder Keg will enable them to enter our homeland for the purpose of assisting our people in their time of need," replied Link-goro.

" So these four wish to aid our people in dealing with the abduction of the elder's son? I will warn you humans that you need to be careful once you have passed through the Mountain Village as that is the only safe place in the region for non-Gorons to traverse. The remaining areas of Snowhead are for Gorons only these days because of the isolation that the council has proclaimed which is why you will need to avoid all contact with our tribesmen, unless of course you were Gorons yourselves in which safe passage is more than assured.

I have two suggestions for you to consider when you reach the village which I recommend you follow just to ensure a pleasant trip. First of all you should dress warmly for it currently snows right now in Snowhead and the cold temperature may be too much for you humans to bear. The other thing that I suggest is to pay your respects to our great hero Darmani for anyone who journeys into Snowhead are encourage to seek out his resting place be they Goron or not.

The smithys who live in the Mountain Village should be able to guide you to the resting place for they know the layout of the land there rather well," said the Goron.

" What was Darmani like?" I asked.

" He was the bravest of all Gorons who would risk his own life if it meant the survival of our tribe for that was his nature. That is why everyone must pay their respects to him for Snowhead was the region that he swore to protect so long as he was alive to keep it safe from the dark forces. Now you must leave for I suspect that some people may have wondered as to why you have spent such a long time in a shop like this.

When you leave this building you should exit Clock Town via the west gate for right now no one is guarding so you will be able to leave without drawing any kind of attention. Once in the field you should head north for the mountains for there will be a path that goes into them which is where you will find Snowhead," replied the Goron. It sounded to me that he wanted us to leave quickly fearing that our continued presence would cause the people outside to come and investigate, so we had no other choice but to follow his advice and make our way to the western gate which was right by the Bomb Shop which was a coincidence for us.

Soon we found ourselves back outside in Termina Field only this time we had to go to the north which is where the mounatins could be seen, and they were such an impressive sight as my only experience with them was within the video game version of Termina.

" So that's Snowhead is it?" asked Rika.

" I assumed that you've seen if before when you played the game," I replied.

" You thought that I actually spent my free time playing through a video game where they were more important matters at hand? Before we came here I had only gotten as far as the first temple so everything from that point onward has been a new experience for me gogglehead. Besides, something else has been on my mind and that is what Yamataromon said to us before he chose to depart from Woodfall.

He said that once we had found the Goron in Clock Town with the hat and bow-tie, we were to make our way towards Snowhead where he said he was going to meet us again in the flesh. How does he propose to do that when we have someone who doesn't even know what we're hiding in the form of two pilgrims?" asked Rika.

" He could always freeze time and space like he did last time," I replied.

" What makes you think he is going to do that gogglehead?" asked Rika.

" The fact that Link-goro is currently frozen in time right in front of us along with everything else around us having come to a stand still shows that he can do that," I replied.

To Be Continued.

Author's Note: There was some foreshadowing there from Takato in the form of him wanting to become a Goron just so that he could use a Powder Keg, and we all know what is going to happen when they chance upon Darmani who is coming up within the next few chapters fulfilling a similar role to what he did in The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask.

Finally, I am aware that there are technically no female Gorons present in the Zelda games due to them all being of the male gender (correct me if I'm wrong about that), yet Rika will be able to become a Goron which means you may have to start imagining as to the appearance she will take on.


	22. The Frightful Blacksmith of the Mountain

Takato and Rika in Termina

By Ganondorf8

The Frightful Blacksmith of the Mountain Village

Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon, Digimon Tamers, The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, or anything else that is associated through a disclaimer. Any original characters you see (and there will be some) are copyrighted to me because that is something I can do.

Author's Note: This chapter officially begins the segment of the story that takes place in the Snowhead region for Takato and the others are essentially on the door-step of the mountains. So far there have been a lack of Digimon other than Guilmon, Renamon, and Yamataromon (the latter appears in this chapter as well), so I'm going to change that by including two Digimon that happen to make Snowhead their home just to provide homeage to the main category this story falls under.

Finally, if you have played the actual game then you know who I'm referring to in the chapter title which shows where the proceedings are going to follow.

Guilmon's POV

That Link-goro character was just standing there frozen in place as though time itself had been brought to a halt which in fact it has according to what Takato and Rika just said. I actually thought that he was playing a game where he was pretending to be stuck in place as a means of making us lose our cool, but when I chose to hit the Goron on the nose to see if he would make any kind of reaction was when I realized that he was frozen and that nothing I do to him will affect him until much later.

I didn't intend to hit Link-goro that hard as my intention was to see if he was going to move in response to my attack, yet I guess I forgot about my own strength which is why he has such a large red mark between his mouth and his eyes. Let's hope for my sake that he doesn't start asking where he got that scratch from otherwise I may have to get down onto my knees and beg for forgiveness.

Takato and Rika knew that this strange condition we were in was the result of Yamataromon coming to pay us a visit, and they turned out to be right when the ancient Digimon appeared before us wearing robes in the same manner that Renamon and myself were utilizing. There have been a few things on my mind as well with regards to Yamataromon although Rika essentially shares most of the same feelings so I can think about my own personal ones.

Why does he choose to hide his true identity from us even though he knows that we two are Digimon and those two are Digimon Tamers? Secondly, how he is able to freeze time just like that although I think Rika may have thought about it first. Finally, you probably have to wonder as to what kind of powers he holds seeing as he is a Digimon that no one really knows about for he was among the first of us to exist in our world.

Renamon mentioned to me at an undisclosed point that he was depicted in the early days of the Digital World as being some kind of mediator among the three sides that were formed: data, vaccine, and virus. Yamataromon dedicated himself to keeping all three sides in check thus ushering in a golden age for our world until one day he chose to leave for he believed that we Digimon could handle things on our own without his presence being there.

This is really a legend that Renamon says has been passed down over the years which means that some bits may be true while others have been forged as a means of making things more interesting. Once Yamataromon appeared before us did Rika decide to speak her mind and began to blast all kinds of words in his direction which made Takato smack his own head in what appeared to be frustration. I never knew that Rika had such a strong influence to make him want to hit himself so hard like that.

" I've been wanting to speak to you about some other things that have been on my mind," began Rika.

" This is something which I was anticipating for quite a while young Tamer for I have not entirely been honest with you despite my grandeur belials what I choose to keep hidden. Some things that I hold deep within the recesses of my mind must remain a secret for such knowledge is too much for your minds to fully understand, yet there are others that you are entitled to know which is why I shall begin by revealing the secret behind what I truly am here in this world of mystery.

You four are aware that I am a Digimon for this I have mentioned to you upon our first encounter with one another, but what you do not know is that when I used to exist in the Digital World, I served as a medium of sorts whose purpose was to hold the balance of the Digital World in check lest it would crumble all about us," said Yamataromon.

" If you had such an important job then why come here and not stay with your own kind?" asked Rika.

" My belief was that one day I would be able to leave our world in the hands of those who I watched over for I could not control their actions forever thus treating them as mere fleshlings. I am an ancient Digimon who came long before those of this modern era who call the Digital World home, and as time passed I came to the conclusion that the day would come where I had to move on and allow the younger ones to lead their own lives.

That was when I left the Digital World in their care and roamed the dimensions looking for somewhere where I could be of use, and that is how I came upon this troubled world where I chose to remain in order to restore the balance which had been shattered by a terrible power long ago. It may sound like I abandoned my own kind but know that this is what was best for the Digital World which is why this place is now what I call home.

Other Digimon chose to follow in my path and have come here to exist in a world where the boundaries that exist between the three types has no affect on their well-being," replied Yamataromon.

" Remind me not to ask such a personal question like that towards someone like him." Rika muttered to Takato who simply had a surprised look on his face which made me wonder if he was okay. I guess that the legend about Yamataromon are true for what he just said to us bears a strong resemblance to the story that has been passed down throughout the Digital World. It was at that point where Rika decided to get down to business and focused on the reasons he has come to see us again and why he had to freeze all of time just to speak to us.

" Okay, we'll leave your own personal history out of the way as we need other information right now that will help us deal with our current problem. We've met the Goron that you told us to find in Clock Town which in turn has given us the means to enter Snowhead, so what exactly are we supposed to do after we make our way into the deep freeze?"

" The Goron who travels with you shall be the one that will open the way to the cold recesses of the mountains for only his kind are allowed to use the item which you now hold in your possession. You should know that he will not accompany you through the mountains for he cannot face his tribe until the problem that exists among them has been resolved, but know that you won't be forced to venture around the region on your own for the cold weather will claim your lives without the proper protection.

The Goron Tribe once had a great hero whose bravery was famed among them for they often turned to him when they were in need of help, yet this warrior is no longer of the living given that his spirit has now been allowed to return to its resting place. No one from the tribe will reveal the location of the warrior's tomb for at this point they show hostility towards humans and the other tribes, but there is one who lives in the Mountain Village that knows the location and is willing to share this information with you," replied Yamataromon.

" That was a waste of time!" moaned Rika.

" I gather that this is knowledge which you have already gained?" asked Yamataromon.

" Link-goro told us all of that when we first met him in town so all you did was just explained everything to us again using an omnious style of speaking as a means of trying to scare us. There's a black smith who lives in that village who knows a lot about what exists in Snowhead and we were told to pay him a visit," replied Rika.

" Yet the Goron failed to mention one thing," began Yamataromon.

" And what's that?" asked Rika.

" The black smith does know the location of the tomb and will share this information with anyone who wishes to know, yet it comes with a price that involves having to perform some labour involving metals. Gorons have no need of such materials for they fashion bombs and other explosives, yet the black smith is human and is skilled at forging new weapons for those who wish to acquire them.

Much in this world of Termina is different from the one you have come to know which is why you must learn to accept all changes that come at you even though you won't learn of them until it is much too late. You two Tamers are dressed as warriors and as such you must wield the tool of the warrior if you are to play the roles that have been created," replied Yamataromon.

" Our roles?" asked Rika.

" You have been brought to this place both as a unfortunate accident and to restore it back to the way it was," replied Yamataromon.

" So we weren't thrown into this world on purpose and that is was just a mistake on someone's part...well, that is something for all four of us to be proud of I suppose given that all we've been doing so far is to figure out a way to get back to our world. We might as well save the other regions of Termina given that we already saved one of them and protecting worlds is something that we Tamers do as an occupation.

Yamataromon, there are still a few things about you that I don't trust given that you haven't been telling us every last bit of detail, but since you have been helping us from time to time in order to get us adjusted to the ways of this world, I guess that you aren't one of those bad Digimon who try to kill humans and conquer their world and our world," said Rika.

" My true type remains unknown even to me," began Yamataromon.

" How can you not know what you are?" asked Rika.

" All that is known about me is that I am of the highest level among the Digimon and that I have the power to manipulate the flow of time. Everything else remains locked away in the shadows for that is all I was given back when I was first given life by those who created the first Digimon. That is why I chose to be a medium for the rest of my kind for I did not fit in with any of them thus my purpose was to oversee their actions and allow them to move forward with their own lives," replied Yamataromon.

Now that was an unusual thing that he just said which made Renamon and I think more about what we are among our fellow Digimon. Yamataromon is obviously of the Mega level as that is the strongest level any Digimon can reach barring special evolution means, yet he doesn't even know anything about himself other than the ability to alter time to his own desires...this has thrown us a curveball for we had the assumption that he was going to reveal his true nature to us which he himself doesn't know.

If what he said about how those created him only allowed him to know those two facts about him is true then he truly is an enigmatic individual that can only be described in legend.

" Alright, so do you know about a man named Ganondorf?" asked Rika.

" He is a dark man who has long avoided this world due to the lack of power that it holds where one like him can use it for his own purposes, yet now he has chosen to infect this world for reasons that are even beyond my own understanding thus making his motivations a mystery to me. I am afraid that I cannot provide you any further knowledge with regards to this man although I am sure that your own assumptions will be the guiding force you need in order to discover the truth behind this world.

My time grows short and so I must return to my place of rest within the Clock Tower so that I may be able to rebuild my strength...my coming here before you comes as a result of using much power that is alien to me which enables me to project an image before anyone that must see me. There is one last thing that you must be made aware of for it is something that has been haunting your hearts ever since you first arrived in this world.

Ganondorf is the one whose power turned you into Deku Scrubs and it was he that you saw atop the tower before you came before me," replied Yamataromon as he disappeared leaving all of us with a lot of questions and very few answers attached to them. At least Takato and Rika know that they were changed into Deku Scrubs because of the magic of Ganondorf, yet they were not told why he did that to them unless he was fully aware of their presence and that they posed a threat to him.

Renamon's expression told the story in that she was feeling somewhat enraged knowing that her partner had been brought into harm's way by perhaps the most evil human to have ever existed anywhere, but at the same time she was feeling confused about the true nature of Yamataromon which was something all of us were worried about. I guess we'll just have to continue on our journey into the mountains and figure out the truth behind his being some other time.

" Why are you four standing there-goro?" asked Link-goro.

" Didn't you notice that time had frozen..." Takato said before Rika gave him an elbow to the stomach.

" I wasn't able to understand what you said to me," said Link-goro.

" Why did you just hit me like that?" asked Takato.

" Because I had to once again remind you that you are still a gogglehead who never ceases to amaze me with his lack of understanding. If we tell him that he was frozen in time by a creature who isn't of this world then he will likely start to freak out and accuse of being something we aren't because he was stuck in time and we weren't. Next time you start to say something Takato, make sure that you think about it before words come out of your mouth as we need all the help we can get without having to scare the living daylights out of them," replied Rika.

" Yamataromon did say that he needed to remain as an enigma," commented Takato.

" Sometimes I wonder why I put up with you gogglehead," sighed Rika. It wasn't one of their more tender moments but at least their little argument managed to bring them both closer, and I suspect that Renamon had the exact same ambition with regards to hitting Takato as a result of his not realizing the truth or something like that. Renamon doesn't come across as being the violent Digimon given her graceful nature, but then she has been with Rika for a long time so who really knows what they do amongst themselves when no one else was looking.

And then we have me, Guilmon, just standing there trying to come to terms with everything that happens around me given that we've been exposed to so many things that are foreign to us. If not for Yamataromon then I would have been the first one to crack and demand to see someone who could help me overcome my issues of insanity. Link-goro wanted to know what Takato was trying to say to him before he was interupted, so Rika quickly came up with an excuse which he believed straight away for she told him that Takato had a tendency to rely too much on an overactive imagination which makes him prone to spewing out all kinds of things.

I don't know personally if I should be either grateful or annoyed seeing as she just labelled my partner as being some kind of idiot, but I guess it had to be done in order for Link-goro to not show any signs of suspicion.

" I still believe that you two should dress up warmly for the mountains are a cold place for exploring," said Link-goro.

" We'll be fine so long as we can make our way to the black smith who lives up there," smiled Rika.

" You must mean black smiths for two of them work in a house that is located at the entrance to the Mountain Village. The smaller man is known for being the brains behind the pair for he is the one who deals with the customers that come and go asking for their weapons to be modified to make them better.

His assistant is much larger than he is and is said to have the brains of a Deku Stick according to what the other says about him, and when you meet them you'll understand what those words mean for the big one, Gabora is his name I believe, has quite the frightening experience which may cause you to react in the wrong way. Gabora has been walking about Snowhead these days for he runs errands as a means of allowing the business to thrive and expand towards new directions which neither of them have ever experienced before.

None of my tribe ever deals with him for we assume that he is just going about his business and should be left to deal with his own devices," said Link-goro.

" We heard that they are known for their skills in swords," commented Takato.

" Then you have heard correctly-goro for these two black smiths are known for taking ordinary swords and transforming them into blades of unrivaled power-goro. You two have swords on your person seeing as I can see them within the sheaths that they call home, so perhaps you could ask them to tamper with your weapons in order to see what might come out of it. Then again, they may ask you to carry out the deed for they have been swamped with numerous requests as of late which is why Gabora goes around outside looking for all kinds of things," said Link-goro.

" And the location of your tribe's hero?" asked Rika.

" Zabora will know where it is for you are all aware that such knowledge cannot be given to you by me due to the issues that plague my tribe. He may be hostile to you as a result of the workload that he and Gabora are receiving which is why I think you should have this bottle filled with gold dust. This special dust is a material that is sought by blacksmiths from all walks of life for it can be used to forge weapons that make the basic designs look like mere children's toys-goro.

I should mention that this dust is a treasure given to Gorons who are able to achieve victory in the Goron Races although we are known for trading the dust to humans in exchange for precious materials they have which we need," replied Link-goro.

" Gold dust that can change an ordinary sword into one that makes a regular blade look like a joke...I don't see how they can apply this to a blade like the one in my scabbard for it doesn't strike me as being compatible in nature," said Rika.

" A sword must be given a first alteration before the gold dust can be applied," said Link-goro.

" There must be a cost involved right?" asked Rika.

" One hundred rupees for tampering your sword to make it stronger although it will return to its original state after a certain number of uses; a small drawback given that the alteration is a temporary one due to not being applied with the correct materials. A modified blade combined with the gold dust will make the tampering permanent which will cost no rupees so long as you are willing to part with the valued treasure. It may sound confusing right now given that you have been bombarded with numerous pieces of information, but my advice is to take this bottle of gold dust and present it to Zabora when you have the opportunity for he will do anything you ask of him in exchange for this precious material," replied Link-goro.

" You should take the bottle Rika," began Takato.

" What made you want to say that?" asked Rika.

" I figured that you should carry it as you have a much lesser chance of dropping it on the floor and spilling out the contents," replied Takato.

" You don't have to feign ignorance with me Takato as I know you're trying to follow what I said to you earlier when I pulled you aside and gave you a big one. I was just frustrated with you as you just started to blurt out the truth which needs to be kept a secret from the people who truly call this place home, and that is why I just wanted to hit you as hard as I could as your lack of understanding made me so furious!

But, I quickly realized that you didn't mean to say what you did as you've got just as much pressure on your shoulders as I do which is why I am sorry for having lashed out at you like that. That's why you should carry the bottle of gold dust around instead of me for this is your element given that you've played through this game much more than I have despite it being the real thing. If anyone is going to deal with those two black smiths then it will be you gogglehead for I would probably allow my frustration to take over my mind which would get us nowhere," said Rika.

" Did you really mean all that?" asked Takato.

" If I didn't then would I go and do this?" asked Rika as she walked over to Takato and gave him a kiss on the cheek before playfully giving him another blow to the stomach. This human love really makes no sense to me as all it does is show two people liking each other then hating each other then liking each other and so on in that fashion. It just gives me nothing but headaches while for Renamon it gives her something to be amused about for I think she has a strong understanding of the concepts of human love.

None of us had realized it but these numerous conversations had passed the time to the point where the glorious grass of Termina Field and the wide open spaces were replaced by deep snow and mighty rock formations which were the first stages of the Snowhead region. Link-goro was right in that the cold temperatures were serious which is why he constantly suggested to our Tamers that they ought to dress up in warmer clothes unless they were Gorons.

The snow wasn't as deep as it looked which was actually good for Renamon for she wasn't exactly comfortable trundling through deep recesses, and it didn't bother me either way given that my feet can allow me to travel just about anywhere without suffering from any problems.

" You four must be careful from this point onward," began Link-goro.

" It doesn't look that dangerous to me so I don't think we need to be concerned," said Rika.

" The way onward begins to get murky as a result of the fog that billows throughout the mountains during this time of the year. Your vision will be at a disadvantage which is why I suggest to you that you take things at a slow pace in order to make sure that you don't wind up falling in over your head. It may seem like the temperature is unbearable at this point in time given that we are now surrounded by the mountains, but this is just the start of it for it will continue to worsen the deeper you go into Snowhead which will make your journey all the more difficult for you to achieve.

My fellow Gorons who chose to remain secluded in the mountains will not show friendly hospitality in your direction given the problems that our tribe has been going through as of late, so you will need to avoid them at all costs unless you were somehow able to gain their trust in a way that currently eludes me," said Link-goro.

" You still guide us so I doubt that we'll experience any kind of problem," said Rika.

" Once the pile of snow that blocks the way to Snowhead has been removed is when I must leave you to tackle the challenges that await within the region. You have forgotten that I must return to Clock Town in order to wait for the moment where the Carnival of Time will begin to usher forth a new beginning that will last an entire year. I am not worried that you four will end up experiencing some kind of painful death for you all appear to be resourceful enough to make it past any challenges that come in your way," said Link-goro.

A few minutes later and we were standing in front of the large pile of snow that Link-goro had been talking about which was preventing anyone from going in and out of the mountains, and it was much larger in size than what he insisted it was given that it was large enough to cover the entire field that Takato and his friends use at his school. My first instincts wanted me to melt the snow with my fiery breath, but then that would've exposed our true motivations which is the last thing we need to have made known.

Takato's idea involved trying to climb over the snow patch in order to reach the other side, but then that would require some rope which we didn't have on hand which brought about an end to that idea. Takato doesn't need to be upset though as we can try something like that some other time when we can get ourselves some rope. Link-goro then took out the Powder Keg which he had been holding the entire time as a sign that we had completely forgotten that we were carrying enough explosive power to detonate an entire mansion.

" So now we get to see the power that is held within that barrel," commented Rika.

" I suggest that you all stand back-goro for the Powder Keg's explosive range is quite large and I don't want any of you getting hurt," said Link-goro as he placed the Powder Keg into the snow patch where the fuse activated by itself which I found was impressive. We all took his advice and moved back a fair distance before the keg exploded bringing the downfall of the snow patch which cleared the way for the rest of us to traverse.

" That is the raw power that comes from the Powder Keg which is both an awe inspiring moment as well as a dangerous situation if not handled carefully. Just remember that you humans are not permitted to use one for you must be a certified Goron to be able to use a power of this magnitude. I must depart company from you now as I must make my way back to Clock Town whereas you must make your way into the mountains to see the black smiths about learning some of the truths behind the Goron mythos.

Before I leave there is one last thing that I wish to mention to you just in case you decide to abandon this journey and head for the warm climate of Great Bay...there is a Goron who has been seen by the ocean although he is not of our tribe for we know our members quite well. They say that he is a Goron that comes from a world much like this one but different at the same time, and that while the rest of his kind flourish about in the mountains...he is one who thrives in the desert hence why he can be seen in the sands of the bay.

I'm not sure if you will meet him or not depending on how you fare in the cold climates of Snowhead, but I wish you all the best of luck and I hope that we may meet again somewhere-goro." Link-goro bowed his head which almost made his backpack fall on top of Takato and Rika before he turned to head back to Termina Field leaving the rest of us having to walk forward and enter the Mountain Village. That was when the snow started to get thicker and the fog grew deeper which was how we could indicate that we had passed the threshold and had entered the snowy region of Snowhead.

" I can't see a thing!" complained Takato.

" Link-goro was right in that our vision has been reduced so badly as a result of the harsh conditions," said Rika.

" We need to find some shelter and quickly as I don't think you and I are going to last long in these cold climates given what we're wearing. Becoming Deku Scrubs won't solve the problem for they have problems with cold temperatures, and the thick snow would make walking even worse than it already is," moaned Takato.

" So what do you suggest gogglehead?" asked Rika.

" Guilmon could breathe some fire in order to light our way through the fog although that could attract some unwanted attention," replied Takato.

" Who in their right mind would want to make this kind of place a home?" asked Rika.

" How about those two black smiths who have set up shop here in the Mountain Village not to mention the Gorons who have been known to come this way in order to reach the temple that exists to the north. If any of them are within our range then seeing Guilmon breathing fire may make them think that we are some kind of enemy.

Termina has always struggled with dangerous monsters that go about the land claiming numerous pieces for their own well-being and leaving the tribes in a state of fear, and Snowhead has quite the assortment of creatures that have adapted to the cold weather and the deep snow. I have heard that fire is the one thing that most of these monsters despise although the fire that they are weak against must be of the magical variety which makes Guilmon's fire the wrong kind," replied Takato.

" You worry way too much," began Rika as she started to walk forward.

" Don't go off on your own as we don't know what could be waiting in front of us!" cried Takato.

" I can take care of myself you know gogglehead!" shouted Rika who was now starting to become distant what with her walking away from the rest of us before we heard a loud thud. The impact of the thud could be heard from miles away which means that either Rika has walked into something, or that something has walked into something else which caused the thud we heard just now.

Takato chose to go out ahead of Renamon and me for he wanted to make sure that Rika was not in any danger, and what he heard next wasn't exactly the kind of thing that he wanted to know given that Rika let out a blood-curdling scream which caught our attention as well.

We all moved as quickly as we could to find out where Rika was in the dense fog that blinded our sight, and when we did find her a short moment later, she looked as though she had been knocked to the ground and the expression on her face made it look as though she had just seen the face of death itself.

" Are you okay?" asked Takato.

" In...in...in front of...you," replied Rika. This made no sense to Takato until he noticed a large shadow had been looming over Rika which prompted him to turn in the direction that she stated. Standing right in front of him was a large figure that was wearing some kind of twisted mask and flailing his arms about in a crazed fashion while uttering some words that none of us could even understand, and the surprise made Takato fall down hard next to Rika and started to develop the same expressions.

" URRRGAHH! OOOHGRGGH!"

" What did he just try to say?" asked Rika.

" I have no idea," replied Takato.

" URRRGAHH! OOOHGRGGH! EERRRGAHHHH!" Whoever this character was sounded rather demented given that all he was capable of saying was a few words that we couldn't translate. The figure then reached behind him and took out some kind of club before he started to swing it around as a means of uttering a wordless threat in the direction of our Tamers. My eyes flashed in their anger colours for I felt that this character was going to cause some harm upon Takato and Rika which is when I chose to make my strike by leaping onto him in the hopes of knocking him down. Being struck by the club however wasn't a part of what I was doing which hurt a lot more than I expected which meant that this figure was quite the powerful one.

" Guilmon!" cried Takato.

" EERRRGAHHHH! URRRGAHH!"

" Make some sense already!" shouted Rika which was when Renamon chose to take a stab against the figure only to find herself being swatted away as though she were some kind of fly. The figure then swung about his club before he reached out and grabbed our Tamers by the legs which resulted in both of them being dragged through the snow. Takato and Rika tried as hard as they could to escape but the figure's grip was too strong for them to do anything, and that is when Renamon and I chose to go after them in the hopes of saving them before anything bad were to happen to them.

To Be Continued.

Author's Note: If you know who the character is that Takato and friends have met in the Mountain Village then you should recall that he does speak like that because of the limited volcabulary that he has. Things are going to heat up in the next chapter what with the Tamers having to learn how to forge weapons for themselves, and Rika is going to ask some personal questions to Renamon regarding digivolving and Takato.

Also, did you notice the reference that was made to Great Bay? That is something to think about for it is going to happen soon.


	23. The Legend of Darmani

Takato and Rika in Termina

By Ganondorf8

The Legend of Darmani

Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon, Digimon Tamers, The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, or anything else that is associated through a disclaimer. Any original characters you see (and there will be some) are copyrighted to me because that is something I can do.

Author's Note: Sorry about not updating this chapter as much as I would like, but things have started to get busy for me which means updates won't be happening as often unless I can squeeze in the free time. Anyway, this entry into the story serves mainly as a filler in order to explain things so that they don't need to be explained later on when the action begins to increase once again.

I still plan on having Takato and Rika forge their own weapons with the gold dust that they acquired from Link-goro which should make for an interesting sequence given that neither of them have ever worked with metals in such a fashion. Finally, the title of this chapter does play a parody on the franchise name although I didn't intend to do it.

Rika's POV

" Where are you taking us?" asked Takato.

" URRGAAHHH! ERRGOOHHH!"

" Rika, do you have any idea what he's saying?" asked Takato.

" If I knew that then I would have told you by now gogglehead! Besides, you're the Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask expert seeing as you have sucessfully completed the game so shouldn't you be the one who knows this guy and what he's babbling on about?" I asked as I struggled to break free of the grip that this oversized behemoth has on my leg.

Takato must be delirious or something as why would he ask me about something that he ought to have known based on his experiences, but then he could be suffering from some kind of shock due to being captured by a giant man wearing some kind of strange mask on his face. I had hoped that our experiences in Snowhead would get us off to a good start as a means of avoiding any kind of problem, but here we two Tamers are being dragged through the cold snow by a man who obviously has a speech problem which makes it difficult for anyone to understand what he's doing.

Gorons are able to adapt to this kind of weather for they have lived here in these mountains for a very long time, yet Takato and I are blinded by the severe weather condition that started to come in as we entered the region which only adds more problems to the overall fire we now hang over.

" I'm trying to remember who this guy is for his speaking pattern is one that I've heard before," began Takato.

" Well can you speed up the process before he either takes us back to his lair or we freeze to death in these harsh conditions," I said as my teeth started to chatter due to how cold it was getting, and I felt as though I was hearing things for I could swear that Guilmon and Renamon were calling out to us in an attempt to keep up with our abductor. That was when I remembered something that Link-goro said before he left to go back to Clock Town that had to do with the denizens who call the mountains home.

He said that there were two blacksmiths who lived in the Mountain Village who specialized in improving weapons for any who pay them with the right credentials...could our behemoth be one of those blacksmiths in question, and if so why does he have such a horrific appearance that's coupled with a bad speech impediment? That's when I chose to reveal this information to gogglehead who was resorting to some questionable tactics in order to break free of our abductor.

" Takato...I've been thinking about what Link-goro said about the people who choose to live in these harsh conditions, and this man could be one of the two blacksmiths that live around here for why else would he be wandering around the snow."

" That's who he is!" exclaimed Takato.

" Who is?" I asked.

" This man is named Gabora and is very skilled in the art of improving weapons to the point where they become even more powerful than ever before. His appearance is very intimidating upon first glance but he is a gentle soul who takes his work very seriously, yet he isn't what you would call a genius for he has been referred to as having the brain of a Deku Stick by his superior Zabora who handles the business side.

Gabora has been known to explore these lands in order to find various materials to further the cause of blacksmithing, but his lack of intelligence has prevented him from securing the rare materials and instead he brings back the scraps which only anger Zabora because his assistant bungled it again. I have heard that Gabora is capable of basic understanding which means he might be able to get us to where we need to go if we can mention the right things," replied Takato.

" You only just came up with that answer the moment I mentioned Link-goro didn't you?" I asked with a stern expression on my face.

" Er...yes," replied Takato.

" If we weren't being dragged around by some guy known as Gabora right now then I would have given you a punch in the face gogglehead! But, at least you managed to remember who he is before we could have wound up in even more trouble than before so I'll let you off the hook this one time. Since you made it to this point in the game whereas I only ever reached Woodfall due to a lack of playing time, you'll have to try and find some way to speak to this guy which gives you more pressure than you are normally accustomed to.

But, I know you'll pull it off Takato seeing as if he doesn't get you then I will if you know what I mean," I said with a cruel smile appearing on my lips which made me feel rather strange. I don't really mean to pick on Takato in this kind of fashion given that he has been very honest with his feelings towards me, but there are times where I just want to wallop him one as a result of his incompetence which has been showing as well as of late.

Our Digimon need to be able to catch up to us for neither of them know their way around Snowhead which only furthers the pressure being applied. Gabora continued to ignore our little argument which actually annoyed me for wouldn't he have at least tried to break it up in some kind of fashion?

" Um...Gabora," began Takato.

" OOOOGUURRGGGHHH! EERRRGAHHH!"  
" Are you the same Gabora who lives in a house in this area where you work together with another blacksmith in order to make new weapons?" asked Takato.

" UURRGAAHHH! UURRGGAAHH! OOOGURRGGHH!"

" Is that a yes?" asked Takato.

" EEERRRGGGOOHHHH!" Now this was proving to be quite the waste of time given that this guy can only produce grunts and groans which make no sense to either of us, and because of this lack of communication between us and him, our problems were only going to get much worse before they were to get better which is when Takato broke down and said to me that this guy was as smart as a Deku Stick all because he didn't know what we were talking about.

My opinion was that it was Takato saying the wrong things which are to blame rather than this behemoth and his lack of speech, and so I decided to let gogglehead know that we need to find some way of escaping if we are to find the burial site of Darmani. Saying that name must have triggered some kind of memory for Gabora stopped in his tracks and turned his face towards us which made me want to scream because that mask made him look like some kind of deranged executioner even though he was a blacksmith.

This sudden pause in his walking allowed Guilmon and Renamon to catch up to him which was easy seeing as he left behind very large footprints in the snow, yet they chose not to attack him for he hadn't inflicted any kind of harm towards Takato and me and I doubt that he is of the fighting type despite his size. " Dar...Darmani!" Did he just say a single word of English that just so happened to be the name of the Goron's great hero?

" Takato...I think he just mentioned the name of the Goron whose burial site we need to find," I said.

" But that's impossible," began Takato.

" How is it impossible for him to mention that name?" I asked.

" Gabora is a character who is incapable of uttering a single word of English and instead speaks in a number of grunts and groans which only those who know him can understand what he's saying," replied Takato.

" That's because he was depicted in the video game as being unable to utter a word which people could understand gogglehead, and in this version of Termina which takes place well after those events, he has managed to gain the ability to say a few words which we can understand such as Darmani for example. We don't need to start questioning why he was able to say that name for this is the break-through that we need seeing as we came here in order to find the guy's burial site which is known only to the Gorons and the blacksmiths who call the mountains home.

Just let me handle this otherwise we're never going to get anywhere! Gabora right? Ahem! You just mentioned the name Darmani which is the name of the person whose burial site we are looking for. If you can understand what I am trying to say to you, can you show us someone who knows where to find the site for we would greatly appreciate it if we were shown the right way," I said before I blushed which made Takato give me a confused look on his face, but then I don't blame him as that wasn't exactly my best request that I've made.

Mentioning the name Darmani that many times must have triggered something in his head for Gabora started to drag us through the snow again towards a small building in the distance, yet I wish he could have allowed us to get back onto our feet and walk alongside him rather than being pulled around like we were some kind of meat. There was someone standing under a porch with an angry expression on his face when we approached which meant that this must be Zabora who serves as the brains behind this operation if Takato's words were accurate.

" Where have you been all this time?" asked Zabora.

" UURRRGGGAAHHHH! EERRRRGGGOOOHHHH!"

" How could it have taken you that long just to find some small scraps of materials which we need to forge those weapons that the soldiers of Clock Town requested a couple of weeks ago? You should be thankful that I am being generous right now otherwise you would had have been forced to sleep outside for the night. And since when did I ask you to go and fetch some wild animals seeing as you've been dragging two of them with you for who knows how long," said Zabora.

" EEERRRRGGGOOOHHHH! AARRRGGGAAHHH!"

" They're not animals? Then what exactly did you bring along with you?" asked Zabora.

" He brought the two of us along by dragging us through the snow for reasons we still don't quite understand," replied Takato.

" You Deku Stick! How many times have I told you not to do that to people as all it does is frighten away customers who come all this way just to acquire better weapons than what they had before. I must apologize for the way my idiot of an assistant treated you for his lack of intelligence makes him believe that everything that walks around in the snow are wild animals which he can bring home in order to cook them.

My name is Zabora and this place is the home of the blacksmiths where we forge new weapons at a reasonable price that will put a smile on anyone's face. I see that there are two others who are with your party who had to keep up with Gabora as a result of his stupidity, so please do come inside for these harsh conditions are too cold to have a conversation for a warm fire is a much better choice," said Zabora.

His attitude is one that can change really quickly given that he is kind to potential customers and horrible to the man who assists him with the weapon forging. Zabora certainly reminds me a lot about myself given that I used to treat Takato and Henry like dirt because I believed them to be idiots who had no true understanding of what it meant to be a Digimon Tamer, but at least I no longer have that kind of behaviour as I could never forgive myself if I lashed out at my friends like that.

The inside of the building was actually very nice and full of splendor considering that we are dealing with blacksmiths, yet the large furnace that took up a third of the space reminded me that this was a place of business rather than a rest stop. Guilmon and Renamon sat down by the fire in order to get warm whereas Gabora walked over to the furnace and picked up some kind of large tool which indicated that he was ready to get down to work. I decided to let Takato deal with these two for he knows more about them than I do plus he could do with some experience.

" UUURRRRGGGGUUUURRRHHH!"

" You just focus on what you do over there Gabora while I take care of our guests who were mistreated as a result of your stupidity. Judging from your attire my young travelers, you two are warriors who are journeying across the world of Termina in order to achieve some kind of personal glory. We have seen many of your kind come around here in order to have their weapons improved, yet they usually come here when the weather outside is more reasonable for such conditions such as these find us rarely dealing with anyone aside from the Gorons," said Zabora.

" Do you know about the Gorons?" asked Takato.

" Before they decided to isolate themselves from the rest of the world as a result of what transpired in their village, Gabora and I dealt with many of them who came here to exchange gold dust in return for them receiving precious materials which they use for reasons known only to them.

The Goron Elder himself came here one time for he wanted something made for his son which we accepted right away, and during that experience he told us the story about the legendary hero of the Gorons, Darmani, who had since returned to his grave once his mission had been completed. Somehow he just felt compelled to tell us this story which includes the location of the burial site where Darmani now rests in peace, and hearing his words made me realize that this Goron was perhaps the greatest among them who has ever lived," replied Zabora.

" What was he like?" asked Takato.

" Darmani was respected by all of the members of his tribe for he was the one that they relied upon in order to save them from whatever threat they were facing at the time. No matter what dangers had to be overcome in order to attain victory for his people, Darmani rose to the occasion by placing his own life on the line so that the Gorons would have a better future.

It was well-known for a number of years that the Goron Elder had planned to give the title of patriach to the Goron hero for the elder had reached the point where he could no longer lead his tribe, and felt that one such as Darmani was the right person to become the next leader of the tribe. Even his own son looked up to Darmani and wanted to be just like him when he grew old enough to be able to do things on his own.

His exploits earned him a strong reputation among the other tribes for Darmani was seen as a divine hero whose purpose in life was to protect the people that he cared about and defeat the evil that plagued his lands," replied Zabora.

" All of that changed when he left on his mission to find out what was happening at Snowhead Temple," sighed Takato.

" I see that you are aware of that terrible accident which even now continues to haunt the Gorons to this very day as it was a tradegy that could have been avoided. The winter conditions that plague Snowhead had never been that serious before which is why the Gorons immediately suspected that something was happening at the temple. Darmani chose to travel to the temple in order to find out what was happening and put an end to it before it would cause the tribe to be wiped out as a result of a combination of cold conditions and a lack of food.

Snowhead Temple has a large Goron who serves as a the protector to ensure that no intruders were to come along, yet he was unseen due to being cloaked in some kind of invisibility which rendered it impossible to see him without the eye that can see the truth. That proved to be Darmani's downfall in addition to the guard choosing to blow him off the cliff with a powerful gust of wind, and when his lifeless body was discovered a few days after he had left, a burial service was errected where he was to rest in peace although this didn't stop him," said Zabora.

" He came back?" asked Takato.

" Somehow he was able to bring himself forth from the dead for he couldn't rest until he had succeeded in his mission, and this surprised everyone for they had assumed that he had died and had been buried in his tomb which exists closeby...strange things happen in Termina all the time such as Darmani coming back from the dead mere hours after he had been buried there in the first place.

Once spring returned to these mountains did he depart from this world in order to return to the world of the dead, and since then his story has become legendary in and of itself with many from the other tribes wanting to know as much as they can about him. You have been giving off a strange expression ever since I mentioned that the burial site is close to this location, so I take it that you and your companions are trying to find the burial site as well?" asked Zabora.

" We were told by a Goron named Link-goro that we needed to find the blacksmiths for they knew the location," replied Takato.

" You are not the first who has wanted to know the location of the burial site for many believe that there is an arcane force that surrounds it in a strange aura, yet such information cannot be given away for free as that would bring forth the wrath of Darmani's tortured spirit upon us which I would rather avoid at all costs. I know that the four of you have a strong determination to find the location of the burial site which is why you will need to perform a small test just to see if you can be trusted with the secret, but first I need to know if you have the proper payment for what I am to ask of you does require money," said Zabora.

" We don't have any rupees although we do have this gold dust," said Takato.

" This is the kind of gold dust that the Gorons have often traded to me which makes sense seeing as you four are associated with one of their own. Normally, I would ask you to leave for you need rupees in addition to this fine dust in order to make business with me and my assistant, but you have come all this way and have endured much which is why I shall waver the rupees and have you give me the gold dust as payment.

However, you two warriors will have to forge the weapons on your own without Gabora and I handling that task for this way will allow you to essentially pay off the lack of rupees," said Zabora. Why did he think that Takato and I needed to change our weapons by forging them in order to make them more powerful? Granted, this is a place where weapons are tampered with to make them work better for the one who uses them but we're not exactly experts with dealing with metals such as what our swords are made of.

I knew that we should have not accepted these when we visited the Swordsman School in Clock Town yet gogglehead insisted that we go there in order to be able to fight using the traditional means. Sadly we really had no other choice and soon we found ourselves behind the front desk where there were a couple of work stations that had all of the tools needed to forge weapons.

Zabora said that our companions could watch us from up close provided that they don't break anything whereas he and Gabora get to take a break from their hard work...I had this urge to give them both a piece of my mind making us have to work just to learn what we need to know about Darmani's burial site, yet Takato jumped right into it and began to work on his sword by banging it with a hammer and pouring some kind of strange liquid on it.

" Rika, you need to get started on your forging right away if we are to find out what we need," said Renamon.

" I know yet I feel kind of silly having to do something like this," I moaned.

" Since we did not bring any rupees with us which are the currency of this world, you and Takato have no other choice but to handle the work on your own as a means of making up for the lack of payment. Working with metals is something that you have never relied upon before given that you never needed a weapon to fight with, but it should give you quite the learning experience which may prove useful later on.

All you really have to do is just apply pressure onto the metal in order to change its appearance to whatever you desire it to be, then you need to use these various hot pieces and cool off the forged blade in the water before starting the entire process again by using the hammer provided," said Renamon.

" That Zabora is probably laughing away over there all because he's making us do the work," I moaned.

" Perhaps but he knows more about the legends of Snowhead than any of us do which make him a valuable ally for our cause," said Renamon.

" Okay, I'll let him off the hook for the time being! There is something that I have been meaning to ask you about Renamon regarding the fact that you and Guilmon haven't been able to digivolve ever since that incident at the ranch where those things attacked. Takato and I both know that our bond with our partners allow you both to reach your stronger forms, yet so far you've only managed to do so once with the rest of time being stuck on the sidelines while gogglehead and I end up placing our lives on the line. Have you been wondering as to why you can't digivolve?" I asked.

" Guilmon and I have been talking about it in secret for it is something that has become a great concern for us both for our purpose is to protect our Tamers and fight by their sides. The reason we have come up with as a result of us being able to become Growlmon and Kyubbimon respectively has to do with the positive energy that was exuding itself from Romani Ranch.

It is the only place in Termina that was never truly affected by the dark forces that plagued this world years ago, and as such it is the one place where anyone can achieve a stronger form if they have need of it. All of the remaining areas of this world have been affected by evil and as such that aura still remains even after the original incident has long since gone away from the minds of the people.

We Digimon are unable to digivolve in such contaminated places which is why both you and Takato have had to resolve the issues on your own instead of having to rely on us to achieve the same objective. Perhaps there will be a time where we will be able to reach our stronger forms for anything can happen in this world given the mysteries that surround it," replied Renamon.

" And what about Yamataromon?" I asked.

" He is affected by the aura much more than Guilmon and I are for he is an ancient Digimon that had existed since our world first began which makes him what you humans call a senior citizen. The powers that he wields cannot be unleashed with all of this darkness swirling about which is why he is restricted to just being able to use his power to halt the flow of time. I am sure that other Digimon who have called this world home are feeling the exact same condition which means that it is something that should no longer have your concern Rika.

In fact, you should be focusing your efforts towards Takato for I can see a strange bond being forged between the two of you which has left me feel confused," replied Renamon.

" It's called love," I said.

" Love? I have heard of the term before yet I never have seen it applied," said Renamon.

" Takato and I used to have a lot of problems with each other mainly due to us having different opinions on what it meant to be Tamers and how we were to handle our Digimon. It left us with a bitter hatred towards each other that was soon replaced with a powerful friendship for I was able to become closer to both him and Henry once you guys opened my eyes to the truth.

Over time Takato and I have been understanding how the other felt about various situations which quickly blossomed into love which we both thought was just a silly crush that we had as a result of being under pressure. We do have moments where we argue with each other over what should be done about getting past whatever obstacle was in our path, yet in the end we manage to rekindle that love and allow it to burn even brighter than before...although I still enjoy calling him gogglehead what with the fact that he still hasn't removed those things from his head.

It's a difficult emotion to explain Renamon seeing as love is believed by many to be one of the most powerful emotions that exists out there, but it's something that I enjoy experiencing for it enables me and Takato to become closer together as people," I said. While we were both talking about the concept of love as well as discussing the darkness that prevents digivolution, I hadn't noticed that I had been forging away on my sword and somehow transformed it into some kind of wicked looking blade which had the appearance of something that came from both the ancient past and the distant future.

" I didn't know you had it in you," commented Renamon.

" Neither did I although maybe I could have planned it out a bit better," I said as I stared at what my sword had become as a result of the procedure Renamon told me combined with adding the gold dust after the first forging had been completed. Takato's sword looked a lot better than mine did seeing as he actually focused on what he was doing with Guilmon giving him numerous awes and ahhhs, yet I suppose that I should be glad that I was able to change it into something decent instead of having it melt away due to being careless with it.

Zabora at that moment came into the back area in order to see what we had produced with our hard work, and he was pleased to see that we had each created unique swords that he said gave him some inspiration which he could use for future forgings. Gabora tried to say something as well yet all he could muster were a bunch of grunts and groans which were quickly brought to a silence by Zabora who told him to go and fetch him some tea for he had need of one.

" You two have created quite the powerful swords there which makes me believe that perhaps you are far more qualified at forging than what I had originally conceived. These enhanced weapons should help you out in the trials that are to come for powerful creatures lurk throughout these mountains including one unusual creature that the Gorons refer to as the snow warrior due to it having the appearance of a soldier.

Gabora and I have never seen such a creature as this around here although the rumours state that this warrior prefers to move about at night when the winter conditions have reached a critical peak. Now then, you have all proven that you are trustworthy by completing this small test which is why I shall reveal the location of the burial site of Darmani.

Across from this building lies a small pond where Gorons are not permitted to cross for they sink quickly in water as a result of their heavy weight, yet on the other side of this pond lies a foreboding cliff made of snow and ice which is impossible to climb...unless of course you have eyes that can see the truth in which secret ladders will appear that need to be climbed in order to reach the top for the burial site is located up there.

They say that the ghost of Darmani has guided those who can see him to his eternal resting place for he believes that they can aid him, yet the Lens of Truth has been missing for years which makes seeing him impossible...but I have heard that the snow warrior now holds the lens in his possession due to having found them after Darmani had finished with them when he was alive briefly. That is all we were told by the Goron Elder which means that you will need to figure out any remaining mysteries on your own," said Zabora.

" Thanks for all your help," said Takato.

" You cannot leave right now for the conditions outside are still harsh," began Zabora.

" But we need to reach the burial site as fast as possible," said Takato.

" Humans cannot survive in these conditions for we lack the kind of protection that the Gorons themselves have, so you four will have to spend the night here and continue on your journey once the conditions have improved greatly to the point where travel is acceptable. Gabora, you might as well fetch them all some tea for they are going to be sticking around here for a little while longer which means they will be able to listen to some other stories that we know about Termina as a way of passing the time," said Zabora.

To Be Continued.

Author's Note: The next transformations will occur within the next couple of chapters so the wait isn't going to be for much longer. And don't worry about the Deku Scrub forms that Takato and Rika have for they will be still be used in order to proceed through the rest of their journey which is only going to get more unusual. Also, this chapter isn't as long as the latest ones which should be a sigh of relief for everyone on both sides of the spectrum.


	24. Warriors of the Snow

Takato and Rika in Termina

By Ganondorf8

Warriors of the Snow

Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon, Digimon Tamers, The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, or anything else that is associated through a disclaimer. Any original characters you see (and there will be some) are copyrighted to me because that is something I can do.

Author's Note: Now you get to finally meet the Digimon who has been living in Snowhead for an undisclosed amount of time seeing as one has been mentioned indirectly for quite some time now. He is a fanmade character just to let you know although as you will soon discover, he does have a connection to an official Digimon that appeared during the Digimon Tamers storyline. Darmani is also going to making an appearance in his ghostly form for we are reaching one of the next climaxes that involve a certain transformation.

One more thing to mention before things get underway. Renamon is going to come up with quite the excuse to explain why she and Guilmon are dressed up as pilgrims who have to keep their identities hidden from the world at all costs. I actually made this part up at the last minute so it may have some mistakes as far as connections to previous chapters goes.

Renamon's POV

As much as I hated to admit it given that we are in a world whose physics continue to elude us, we had no other choice but to wait it out in the house of the blacksmiths until the weather outside had become tolerant enough for us to be able to continue on our journey in order to find the burial site of Darmani.

From what I have been listening to the entire time about the legend of this brave warrior whose life was cut short, Darmani was one who was respected by all creatures that dwell within these mountains especially among those from his tribe, the Gorons, who apparently worship the very ground he walks on back when he was among the living before the tradegy that claimed his life long before any of us arrived.

Zabora, who had been trying to stir up some conversations in order to pass the time and not having to resort to speaking with Gabora, mentioned that the reason the Gorons chose to bury their hero at such a high altitude was that his spirit could continue to watch over the mountains from beyond the grave.

At first I was surprised that they were able to make their way up there considering that the cliff Zabora alluded us to was much too steep for any Goron to be able to climb, but then he mentioned that there was a secret passage through that particular mountains which was designed for Gorons to use which enabled them to reach the peak where the burial site was located.

Takato had been busy practicing with his newly forged weapon ever since he finished working on it, and he boasted that he could now take on the creatures that live in Termina without having to run away from them...humans can be so fickle at times that it makes me wonder how they have managed to last this long.

Rika on the other hand was sitting by herself in one corner of the room with her head buried in her knees which indicated to me that she was upset over having to wait for the weather to improve...her emotions have really changed ever since we first arrived in Termina for she has been expressing both joyous and miserable feelings that could be tearing her apart from within, and that had me concerned for if that were to continue then she could end up causing a mistake that would bring about our own destruction as well.

Just as I was about to walk over to my Tamer in order to comfort her and ease her troubles, Zabora came over to me for it seemed that he was curious as to why Guilmon and I refuse to expose our true appearances to him and his assistant. If he knew exactly what we were behind these cloaks, he would be in for the shock of his life which is why I had to come up with some quick answers in order to wane his curiosity.

" I have noticed that you and your fellow pilgrim have yet to take off those warm clothes of yours," commented Zabora.

" We prefer to keep them on for that is a part of a special agreement that we made before we chose to begin this journey by accompanying these two brave warriors. Those who are like us are rather shy about revealing their true appearances to those who they see as being outsiders, so we walk among the people in this fashion for we wish to remain secluded which adds a certain air of mystery to how we go about our lives.

My companion and I have been traveling together for a long time and during our travels we have seen others like yourself who are curious as to who exists behind the cowls which conceal our faces...each of them before you have been told the same truth in that our sect as you might call it are very secretive and that forcing us to expose our appearances could result in dire consequences," I said.

" Sounds to me that your collective have some rather strict rules," said Zabora.

" Our elders made these conditions many years ago which those of us of today have to follow for our own safety," I said.

" They must have been some very serious individuals if they chose to create such restrictions upon you, but then I respect their wishes now that you have told me the truth about yourself which is why I won't question you any further about your true identities. However, it does appear to me that you have been showing concerns about the outside where the harsh winter winds blow about because of the cold temperatures that exist in Snowhead.

I know you and your companions have a strong desire to reach the tomb of Darmani for reasons of your own, yet only Gorons are able to survive in the conditions outside provided that the temperature hasn't reached the point where not even they are able to traverse the land," said Zabora.

" Actually, I was thinking about something else," I began.

" Is this another secret that cannot be uttered?" asked Zabora.

" No, I can tell you about this one seeing as it's about something or rather someone that has existed in these mountains for quite some time. We have heard from our Goron guide who recently returned to Clock Town that a warrior lives in these mountains who has been sighted by many travelers who chose to venture forth into this region. He told us that this warrior appears out of nowhere before those who he feels are worthy enough to see him, yet such a thing has only occurred a few times given that most people tend to run away from him," I replied.

" I have heard of this warrior before," began Zabora.

" Do you know anything about him?" I asked.

" No one knows where this warrior comes from for legends say that he appeared one day in the mountains when the weather became so harsh that no living creature could have survived it. It is known that he rescued a young Goron child from freezing to death for the little one ventured forth into the snow to explore and wound up getting caught in the freezing conditions, and for that the Gorons have hailed the warrior as a saviour and treat him with the same respect that they have given to Darmani before and after he died.

The reason that I say legends is that the warrior has been roaming these lands for a few years now and has aided those who were worthy enough to be in need of his assistance...yet no one knows the true identity of this man for he appears when needed and disappears when his services are no longer required. As an act of kindness for resucing the young child from death, the Gorons erected a statue in his honour although even now it remains incomplete for they do not know the true appearance of the warrior to be able to finish what they had started," replied Zabora.

" How can we find him?" I asked.

" The warrior cannot be found by anyone for that is not how he perceives himself before the eyes of people, and if you were to try and find him you will only end up back where you started for he is an enigma!

Many have made the attempt of finding him so that they can learn any secrets that he may be holding, but none so far have succeeded for he is somehow able to distance himself from his pursuers by using the very weather itself to hide away for he is like you in that he keeps his true identity a secret.

He however can find you if he finds you worthy enough to be seen by him which is a rare occurrence given that many who come to Snowhead are able to make their way through without having to rely on his presence. What I can tell you is that these are the kinds of conditions that surround this building in which he will make an appearance for he first appeared in these exact conditions," replied Zabora.

" Then we need to get going right now!" Rika announced as she got up from the corner.

" You wish to go out there even though I said that it's much too dangerous?" asked Zabora.

" We all appreciate the concern you have for us given that this is our first time in the mountains, but we need to reach the burial site of Darmani as soon as possible which means we'll take the chance of freezing to death if it will allow us to reach our goal. Thanks for allowing Takato and me to forge our own weapons despite only having gold dust in our possession as a means of payment, yet now we have to leave for there is something here that we have to do otherwise it could bring about the end of all who live in Snowhead," replied Rika.

" I suppose that this is another secret that cannot be mentioned?" asked Zabora.

" Not really considering that what we have to do involves dealing with the Goron tribe," replied Rika.

" So you wish to aid the troubled Gorons who have isolated themselves from the rest of the world all because of that incident involving the son of the Goron Elder? I have to admit that you are courageous for wanting to risk venturing forth into an area of the mountains where humans and other non-Gorons are seen as unwanted guests in the eyes of the council that has formed in the tribe within recent months.

Now I understand why you need to visit the burial site of Darmani for you believe that his spirit may be able to guide you for the odds are heavily stacked against you. Gabora and I have been wanting peace to return to these mountains for some time for our business is suffering and the Gorons who do not like the idea of being bottled up wish to interact with the other tribes.

You must go quickly if you are to reach your goal!" Zabora said suddenly which caught me by surprise for a few minutes ago he didn't want any of us leaving the safety of his home, and now he insists on us leaving in order to carry on with our journey.

I guess he believed that we were just wandering travelers who needed to be protected from the weather, and that once our true motives were made known to him did he decide to allow us to proceed even if it was at our own risk what with the harsh conditions. Takato and Rika said their thanks to Zabora and Gabora and soon we were outside where the harsh weather made it next to impossible to see where we were going.

" Maybe we should have stayed inside until the weather had gotten better," commented Takato.

" We have to continue making our way to Darmani's burial site if we are to help find the Goron Elder's son for maybe the ghost of their hero can provide us with the means to survive around here. Besides, we're racing against time right now what with the presence of Ganondorf possibly looming over the other regions of Termina seeing as he was the source of the problems that plagued Woodfall.

According to what Zabora told us about the legends that swirl around the character of Darmani, he was buried at the highest point in the Mountain Village for the Gorons believed that he would continue to watch over them in death...the highest mountain around here is the one on the other side of that pond yet climbing it seems to be impossible," said Rika.

" That's because we don't have eyes that can see the truth," sighed Takato.

" What did he mean by that anyway?" asked Rika.

" No wonder you never made it this far into the Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask as you find out about the eyes when you get to the Goron Village that lies on the far end of Snowhead to the east," replied Takato.

" Excuse me for not having wasted my free time playing a video game gogglehead!" shouted Rika.

" Anyway, the Lens of Truth as it is called appears to be an unusual looking maginifying glass due to the odd design and the fact that both sides of the mirror come in different colours. By using magical power one can see the truth for what it really is no matter how powerful the illusion before you appears, but sometimes seeing the truth in such a fashion can be deadly for there are some things you don't want to see at all.

The mountain where the burial site is located can be reached there by humans and Gorons by using the Lens of Truth in order to see a large collection of ladders that make their way up to the top, but without the lens one can't make their way up for the ladders cannot be grabbed if they are invisible," said Takato.

" That means we're stuck down here unless we can somehow get the Lens of Truth from the Gorons?" asked Rika " And we all know that won't be happening for non-Gorons are not allowed in the village," replied Takato.

" Guess we're all going to freeze to death just because we don't have the one thing we need to reach the site," moaned Rika.

" You can't blame me for not having the Lens of Truth on hand," said Takato.

" No, but I can blame you gogglehead for not mentioning it to us before we came up here as we could have tried another method to get up there," moaned Rika. Once again our two Tamers were arguing over something that was merely trivial at best, but then Rika did always blast Takato with numerous insults and accusations for as long as they have known each other, she has always put him down whenever he had an idea that he believed would work or when he neglected to mention something of importance to the mission at hand.

This must be one of the more obscure things that comes with being human for the emotions these two are throwing at each other makes me believe that their kind has managed to last this long without tearing each other to pieces, and right now there was nothing that Guilmon and I could do to separate them which meant that all we could do was wait for them to finish venting their respective insults before focusing on the problem at hand which was the fact that all four of us could perish in the cold.

It was at that moment that I began to feel a strange presence nearby for someone was making their way through the cold in order to find out what was going on...and that is when I realized that the presence was exactly identical to what Guilmon and I possess which means that whoever is coming was a Digimon of some kind.

Could it be Yamataromon who has chosen to greet us with a different means of presenting himself? No, it couldn't be him for he prefers to appear out of nowhere and freeze the very fabric of time itself which is not what's happening right now for the snow continues to fall.

This means that there is another Digimon coming our way of a high level for the aura that it gives off is higher than what we have, but lower than what Yamataromon has which indicates that we are about to encounter an Ultimate Digimon.

" You four appear to be lost."

" We're not exactly lost considering that we know where we have to go, but we can't can't to where we need to go for we don't have the proper equipment," snapped Rika.

" Ah, you must be the human known as Rika Nonaka for only she has a fiery attitude like what you are displaying right now...and the human who stands next to you must be the one known as Takato Matsuki for he has the strong imagination which lead to the creation of one of the strongest Digimon to have graced the Digital World for quite some time.

I thought that it was you two that I had sensed when you first arrived in Termina when you were pulled into this world along with your Digimon partners as a result of the dark powers that Ganondorf wields. Tried as I could to reach you before you were dragged into this troubled world for I suspected that Ganondorf had some kind of motivation, but by the time I reached the place that you call home, I discovered that I had arrived too late for you were already on your way to this world.

Thus, I had to find a way to reach you in time so that I could both aid you and warn you of what transpires in Termina as a result of the influences of the Dark Lord. At first I did not know if you were the Tamers who saved the Digital World from the brink of destruction at the hands of the D-Reaper which is why I had to observe you from a distance in order to be sure of my suspicions, but seeing the power of digivolution was all I needed to confirm your identities thus why I have come before you now."

" Who are you?" asked Rika.

" Many around these troubled lands know me as the warrior that appears in the harsh snowfall who leads those worthy of my presence to safety, yet you are surely aware that I am in fact a Digimon otherwise I would not have known of your identities nor that of your partners who chose to mask their identities so as to avoid revealing the truth to those who do not understand.

Be aware that unlike Yamataromon I do not call this world my new home for the Digital World is still the place that I am most comfortable existing in, yet I have traveled to many worlds in order to observe the creatures that exist there as a personal quest of mine which is of no importance right now. Renamon, you know that I am an Ultimate Digimon for that is the scent that you picked up just before I revealed myself to you all.

Such a sense as this shall prove itself to be useful on this journey that you have been thrown into for your lives now hang in the balance with Ganondorf holding all of the cards in play."

" That doesn't answer my question," moaned Rika.

" Your attitude remains as fiery as ever Rika Nonaka for that is what makes you a special person in your own right, but you are correct in that you desired an answer and I did not provide you with one...I am a servant of one of the four sovereign ones that rule over the Digital World, yet you know him by the name of Azulongmon for he is the one who told you the truth about what was befalling our world.

I am known as Crimsonmon of the Snow for it is the harsh lands of the north that call upon me, yet my title is one that you need not have to worry about for you have a much dire situation that requires your immediate attention.

Right now you have all been blanketed by a warm coating of heat which shall protect you from the weather that exists in this place for you have earned my protection, yet you wish to reach a place where you believe will give you what you need to move about the lands that are under the watchful eye of the Gorons.

I have come to this world many times for those who thrive here have spoken of me in legend for my actions have left them seeing me as an enigmatic warrior, and as such I know that which you seek for it lies above at the highest point for the Gorons hold a firm belief that he shall forever watch over them."

" You know about Darmani?" asked Rika.

" He was known as the great hero of the mountain folk whose courage and strength ensured that his people would continue to survive in Snowhead, but not even he could have prevented what fate had in store for him which is why his travel to the Snowhead Temple turned out to be his final journey.

He continued to exist as a wandering spirit who couldn't rest in peace for he did not complete his mission when he was alive, and so he was to remain a tortured soul until the one came along who eased his pain and finished what Darmani had started before his death.

That very spirit eventually returned to the world of the dead in peace for his mission had been completed thus he had no further reason to continue dwindling about as a spirit, but that soon changed when his ghost reappeared again when the dark powers of Ganondorf covered the land in pure chaotic energy.

Darmani knows that his people are in need of a new hero for the one who aided him before is no longer of this world, thus he awaits at his tomb for any who can help him now which is where the two of you humans come in. The one known as Link-goro brought you here for you chose to help out the Goron Elder by finding his precious child who was abducted by unknown forces, yet to be able to venture further into the mountains requires you to become that which isolate themselves.

You have the power to change your appearances into that of Deku Scrubs for you wield masks that allow you to masquerade yourselves as these creatures of the forest, but such power will not aid you here for the Deku Tribe fear the cold as do the Zora thus only the Gorons are able to exist in these conditions provided that it is not too severe even for them." Crimsonmon said.

" So Rika and I have to become Gorons?" asked Takato.

" Only the mountain folk are able to walk about these lands without showing any kind of fear." Crimsonmon answered.

" Guilmon and Renamon don't exactly fit that description," moaned Rika.

" The magic that is contained within the masks are only meant for the humans who are worthy enough to possess the magic which is needed to pass off as the character intended, yet we Digimon do not possess such a power as this and so we are to remain in our standard forms unless special magic is used in order to make others believe what they are is what they are to see with their eyes.

I do not possess such magic for it is one that exists only in this world thus you will need to speak to the one known as Darmani who even now continues to wait for those destined to aid him in saving his people. I have also learned that you lack the eyes that can enable you to see the truth for such an item is needed in order to make your way up the mountain where the Goron hero awaits your arrival.

One does not need to rely on such items if they are able to rely on their own senses which can be more effective than magic that was forged long ago. Each of you have strong senses which can be used to further your own objectives which right now continue to dwindle about in limbo for you have yet to use them, but know that you can achieve what you desire if you have a strong faith in what you wish to accomplish." Crimsonmon said.

" That's easy for you to say as all you need to do is to just warp there," moaned Rika.

" Such a notion is an easy solution to a problem that never had any difficulty to begin with, yet it appears that the words of Yamataromon have eluded you which makes sense for he is one who is difficult to understand what with his ancient stature. You have all been taught much during your time in Termina which is why you have managed to make it to this exact point, for any lack of such knowledge would have brought about your deaths the moment you began to explore your new surroundings." Crimsonmon said.

This Digimon has the stature of a mighty warrior who has saved many lives in this world and others that exist out there, yet he is full of wisdom that belies his appearance so perhaps he is a sort of masquerade in and of himself?

Now that I have gotten a much better look at him as well as knowing a bit about his past have I realized just who he is...Crimsonmon is known throughout the Digital World as the warrior who sleeps among the snowy wastes for it is those harsh conditions he thrives the most which is where many have to go in order to reach him.

Long ago he swore his loyalty to Azulongmon for they say that he used to be a completely different Digimon before the ruler was able to show him a much better destiny than what he himself was going towards.

In his past Crimsonmon was a reckless character who had a strong urge to want to pick fights with just about any Digimon that got in his way all because he felt that they were in his space, but when Azulongmon saved him from himself did he choose to change his ways and became what he is today; an enigmatic character who gives aid to those who are most deserving of it.

" Okay, so how do we get up there?" asked Rika.

" The ladders which you cannot see are the only means for you to reach as the other way is only for the mountain folk to travel, but how can one see anything that is invisible and requires the truth be made real to them in order to continue further? You have the answer to that question deep inside of your hearts yet you have refused to bear witness to it for you under the illusion that you need a specific item in order to continue on a journey that so far has not deterred you in any way.

I suppose that I could always give you this Lens of Truth that I hold in my hands for I knew that you had a need of it once I discovered who you were, but then is this item really all that important to you or maybe you have another means that you can use? The choice is up to you to make although both will get you to wear you need to go, one will lead you down the right path whereas the other will lead you down the wrong one." Crimsonmon answered.

" We'll go it our own way without the Lens," announced Takato.

" What!?" exclaimed Rika.

" We can do this on our own if we just believe in ourselves," smiled Takato.

" Now you've finally lost it gogglehead!" snapped Rika.

" Your friend and the true source that your heart desires speaks the truth Rika Nonaka for you must learn to rely on your own abilities rather than that of items that can perform the task which would make the experience even more easier.

Proceed up the mountain using your senses to guide you up the ladders that cannot be seen and you shall find the hero of the Gorons awaiting you inside of the crypt that he now calls home...this is where we must part ways Digimon Tamers for you have learned all you needed to know from me thus my purpose here is at an end.

The chances of us meeting again all depend on what you do with your adventure and if you happen to venture forth into the depths of the snow." Crimsonmon said as he walked back into the blowing snow and disappeared as though he had never taken the time to speak to us like he did.

" So what now gogglehead?" asked Rika.

" We climb up the mountain," replied Takato.

" If I fall off and something really bad happens to me, I'm going to haunt you for the rest of your life which won't be very pleasant," moaned Rika. Once again her attitude was conflicting due to being in this world for so long, so now I began to start feeling fear towards Rika for I didn't want anything bad happening to her as a result of her wild mood changes.

Climbing up the mountain towards the tomb was easy enough for myself and Guilmon for we had the sharp claws which would enable us to grip onto the snow as tight as possibe preventing either of us from falling, yet our Tamers had the more difficult approach for their lack of protection placed their lives in constant harm and the weather wasn't getting any better.

As we continued to make our way up the mountain (which took a lot longer than expected as a result of Rika constantly muttering about falling off and making Takato carry her several lengths), we could hear someone at the top moaning as though they had experienced some kind of trauma...could this be the one known as Darmani that we have come all this way to find?

Once we reached the top of the mountain upon which we discovered that it was a high peak, we were staring at a large opening that resembled something that you might see inside of a pyramid.

" ENTER!!"

" Who said that?" asked Takato.

" It must be Darmani as who else would be up here," replied Rika. The same voice boomed again and commanded us to enter the cave which we did without question, and the inside of this cave was absolutely remarkable for it featured quite the stylized decor that must have taken the perfect hands to mould it into perfection.

A large stone alter was the central feature of the cave and had a face of a Goron on each side as an indication of who it was errected for. This alter was resting in boiling spring water which made the cave appear as some kind of sauna which might have been what Darmani wanted if he were to have died one day which he did.

That was when his ghost appeared before us which made Rika hug Takato as hard as she could for she was very surprised to see a wandering spirit stand right in front of her, and Takato ended up doing the same thing for he was also surprised at the sudden appearance of Darmani. Guilmon and I were less surprised for we were able to sense his presence the moment we entered the cave, yet we were a little bit caught off guard for he chose to simply appear before us without mentioning any kind of greetings.

" So someone has managed to make their way up to my tomb in order to speak with me," said Darmani.

" We have been seeking you," began Takato.

" I know the reason as to why you have come here before me young human for you and your female companion wish to aid my people for once more they are in danger. You must have spoken to one of my kind beyond these mountains otherwise you would not have come here by choice if you decided to come here as a means of paying respects.

What he has said to you about the troubles that plague my people are true for the Gorons have chosen to isolate themselves from the rest of Termina for they wish to deal with the abduction of the elder's son on their own.

None of them are aware that the man in black armour known as Ganondorf is involved in some way for they are under the assumption that someone from one of the other tribes kidnapped the elder's son. I wish that I could reveal to them that their problems stem from this evil man, yet as you can see by my appearance, I am but a spirit now who cannot return to his place of rest until the problem has been completely resolved...perhaps you two human could resolve the issue for you appear to be very competent warriors," said Darmani.

" We were told that if we were to help out the Gorons then Rika and I must become Gorons ourselves," said Takato.

" The magic of healing that was performed on me by the one who came here before you allowed my spirit to become healed, and in return he received a mask which allowed him to become his own version of myself which allowed both of us to achieve our respective goals. It appears that the two of you wish to acquire the same ability and yet you do not have the means to heal my once more troubled soul, yet do not show signs of fear and concern for there is another way for you to achieve that which you need from me," said Darmani.

" What is it?" asked Takato.

" A procedure that may cause you to lose everything," replied Darmani.

To Be Continued.

Author's Note: A lot of speaking was done this time compared to a lack of action, but then it was necessary to do so in order to explain some concepts which needed to be told. The next chapter will finally showcase Takato and Rika as Gorons as they wind up walking among the tribe in their own way, and my apologies for the cliff-hanger as I wanted to end this one on a high note that ends with wondering as to what will happen next.


End file.
